Another Broken Hand Sidelines Douglas Lima Following Bellator Tournament Victory
Photo: Douglas Lima
On Sept. 20, Douglas Lima hinted that he may have broken his hand during his Bellator tournament-winning knockout of Ben Saunders.
On Tuesday, the welterweight standout confirmed the injury to Sherdog.com
Advertisement
This marks the third time Lima has broken his right hand. “The Phenom” first injured the appendage in 2009, and then once again in Bellator’s Season 8 tournament semifinals. The latter injury -- sustained during his February knockout win over Bryan Baker -- pushed his rematch with Saunders back to July. However, that showdown would once again be delayed when Lima tore cartilage in his ribs this summer.
Lima and Saunders initially met in the Season 5 final in 2011, with Lima knocking out “Killa B” in the second round. Their Sept. 20 rematch ended in a similar manner, with Lima stopping the UFC veteran with a second-round head kick at Bellator 100.
According to Lima, the pins placed in his hand after it broke this spring played a role in the break which occurred against Saunders.
“The pins were causing stress in the bone,” said Lima. “That’s why it broke again.”
Lima will visit a specialist in four weeks and said he hopes to rehabilitate the injury “100 percent” this time around, estimating that he will be back to full strength in two months’ time. When the two-time tournament winner returns to the cage, he will find himself in a second welterweight title fight, though it is still unclear if Bellator will re-sign reigning 170-pound king Ben Askren, whose contract recently expired.
Lima and Askren first met last year after Lima won the Season 5 tourney, with Askren dominating the explosive striker with superior wrestling en route to a five-round unanimous decision win. Since that defeat, “The Phenom” has won four straight fights, knocking out Jacob Ortiz before doing the same to Michail Tsarev, Baker and Saunders to capture the Season 8 crown.
Related Articles
