Douglas Lima Signs New Contract With PFL

[CC27]

PFL announces former Bellator champion Douglas Lima re-signed to new contract

With PFL recently releasing one former Bellator champion, the promotion has decided to lock up another.

mmajunkie.usatoday.com

With PFL recently releasing one former Bellator champion, the promotion has decided to lock up another.


On Tuesday, the PFL announced that Douglas Lima has signed an “exclusive, multiyear, new agreement.” No terms of the deal were released.


“We are excited to announce he will fight this fall 2024,” the PFL added in its statement.

PFL/Bellator Official Fighter Roster Update pic.twitter.com/7zFJnJen9w
— PFL (@PFLMMA) May 28, 2024

As recently as May 17, Lima, a former Bellator welterweight champion, went public with his displeasure in dealing with PFL since the promotion took over Bellator.


“I’m on the sidelines for a year now,” Lima wrote on X at that time. “What (I) heard was my purse was too “high” and PFL didn’t want to pay and honor my last fight on my contract.”

Last guy I beat is fighting for the belt now. Solid win Costello great job. I’m on the sidelines for a year now, what heard was my purse was too “high” and PFL didn’t want to pay and honor my last fight on my contract. so yeaaa @BellatorMMA @PFLMMA
— Douglas Lima (@PhenomLima) May 17, 2024

The PFL re-signing Lima (33-11) comes on the heels of the promotion parting ways with former Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi after he publicly criticized the PFL for keeping him on the shelf in multiple interviews, including with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn.


Lima, 36, hasn’t competed since winning a unanimous decision against Costello Van Steenis in May 2023 at Bellator 296. Prior to that, Lima had been on a four-fight skid, which started with a title-fight loss to Mousasi in October 2020.

 

[CC27]

Thought it sounded like they were gonna let his contract expire he probably caved and agreed to alot less. For someone like him you look around at whats out there and if you arent someone UFC wants whats left for you?

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I think it's probably an attempt at damage limitation, this week has been absolutely horrendous for them PR wise.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

Douglas Lima vs Ray Cooper next. Makes perfect sense at this point of their careers.

 

[David R]

Lima needs to thank Mousasi.

 

[mkt]

Thought it sounded like they were gonna let his contract expire he probably caved and agreed to alot less. For someone like him you look around at whats out there and if you arent someone UFC wants whats left for you?

As a 36-year old who recently had a 4-loss streak, not much. Granted his fight vs. MVP was close and controversial...and MVP is now an intriguing UFC fighter (we'll see how he does against better competition). But he had to turn into D-1 Page to make that fight close, and it was pretty boring. I'm wondering if Garry will follow the same script.

 

[MMAddict21]

Lima absolutely re-signed for less money. There’s nothing else for him out there. No shot UFC would’ve offered him anything.

 

[Thesnake101]

Douglas Lima vs Ray Cooper next. Makes perfect sense at this point of their careers.

Doug probably beats him still, Ray has looked like shit outside of that one punch he landed on Brunson (where is he?). Kinda sad he went from finally beating Magomed to losing to any guy with a pulse now.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Doug probably beats him still, Ray has looked like shit outside of that one punch he landed on Brunson (where is he?). Kinda sad he went from finally beating Magomed to losing to any guy with a pulse now.

I don't think Ray's head is in the game anymore.

 

[LNwolf87]

I wish he would of signed with the ufc but he's stuck with pfl. I want to like pfl but they just suck

 

[Thesnake101]

I wish he would of signed with the ufc but he's stuck with pfl. I want to like pfl but they just suck

Sadly, I don't think he was even on their radar due to being 1-4 in his last five with all of them being decisions. Pre-pandemic was the time to get Lima

 

[AfroBanana]

100% got low balled.

 

[David R]

Was a time I wanted the Lima brothers in the UFC but that time has long past his brother wasn't as good, brother did just okay in UFC.

 

[skylolow]

Hard to fault PFL for trying to resign these guys for less. Lima at this point probably doesn't deserve to be paid based on what he did years ago. He was just a little more open to it all than Gegard was. Coker even told Gegard they weren't resigning him at his current pay according to Ariel and then apparently right when the merger was happening Coker resigned him to his same deal.