Bellator 267: Lima vs MVP II preview & fight listings

Kicking off a mammoth month of outstanding BELLATOR MMA action, former three-time BELLATOR Welterweight Champion and current No. 1-ranked contender Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (32-9) will square off in a much-anticipated rematch against No. 2-ranked Michael “Venom” Page (19-1) in the main event of Bellator 267: Lima vs MVP II, this Friday, Oct. 1, from 5:30 p.m. BST live in the UK on BBC iPlayer from The SSE Arena, Wembley in London.

During their initial encounter as the co-feature of BELLATOR MMA 221 nearly two-and-half years ago on May 11, 2019, Lima advanced to the final of the BELLATOR Welterweight World Grand Prix by scoring a devasting knockout over MVP at 35 seconds of the second round.

BBC iPlayer will televise the phenomenal five-bout BELLATOR 267: Lima vs MVP II main card live at 9 p.m. BST. Additionally, all eight preliminary fights will stream live on the BBC iPlayer three-and-a-half hours earlier at 5:30 p.m. BST.

Lima, of Atlanta, followed up his destruction of “MVP” and captured the BELLATOR welterweight crown five months later when he grinded out a unanimous decision over Rory MacDonald. The hard-fought victory in October 2019 at BELLATOR MMA 232 from the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., earned the Brazilian native a hefty $1 million prize, saw him collect both the BELLATOR Welterweight World Grand Prix and 170-pound world title belts, and avenged a previous loss to MacDonald.

Hailing from London, “MVP” recorded one of the most devastating knockouts in BELLATOR history when he landed a flying knee at 4:31 of the second round to stop Brazilian Evangelista Santos on July 16, 2016, at BELLATOR MMA 158 from the O2 Arena in London. Currently riding a five-bout win streak, the hard-hitting 34-year-old opened his career by scoring nine first-round victories by knockout or submission in his initial 13 contests.

In the fantastic featherweight co-feature, Irish phenom and No. 5 contender Leah McCourt (5-1) hopes to run her unbeaten streak to six and continue her ascension to the top of the BELLATOR rankings when she takes on hard-hitting Jessica “The Black Widow” Borga (3-3) of Lakeland, Fla.

Rounding out the five-bout main card will be three outstanding contests featuring international brawlers, including American Top Team-product Robert Whiteford (16-4) of Scotland battling it out against Englishman Andrew Fisher (18-8-1) in a featherweight showdown. Also featured on the main card will be undefeated Londoner and light heavyweight brawler Luke Trainer (4-0) squaring off against fellow U.K. native Yannick Bahati (9-5, 1 NC), and the explosive Parisian Yves Landu (16-8) challenging English knockout machine Tim Wilde (13-4).

Highlighting the eight-fight preliminary card will see the return of submission-specialist Lewis Long (18-6) of Wales waging war against Swiss sensation Michael Dubois (11-7), as well as Manchester resident Kane Mousah (13-3) looking to play the role of spoiler for French 155-pounder and BELLATOR debutant Davy Gallon (18-7-2).

BELLATOR 267: LIMA VS. MVP II MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME (U.S.) / BBC iPlayer (U.K.) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

Friday, Oct. 1, 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

Welterweight Main Event: No. 1-ranked Douglas Lima (32-9) vs.

No. 2-ranked Michael Page (19-1)

Featherweight Bout: No. 5-ranked Leah McCourt (5-1) vs. Jessica Borga (3-3)

Featherweight Bout: Robert Whiteford (16-4)vs. Andrew Fisher (18-8-1)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Luke Trainer (4-0) vs. Yannick Bahati (9-5, 1 NC)

Lightweight Bout: Yves Landu (16-8) vs. Tim Wilde (13-4)

BELLATOR 267: LIMA VS. MVP II PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV (US)

BBC iPlayer (UK) | Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

Friday, Oct. 1, 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT

Welterweight Bout: Lewis Long (18-6) vs. Michael Dubois (11-7)

Lightweight Bout: Kane Mousah (13-3) vs. Davy Gallon (18-7-2) 

Flyweight Bout: Elina Kallionidou (7-4) vs. Petra Castkova (4-3)

Lightweight Bout: Charlie Leary (17-11-1) vs. Benjamin Brander (13-8)

Welterweight Bout: Jack Grant (17-7) vs. Nathan Jones (13-10)

Featherweight Bout: Fabacary Diatta (7-0)vs. Nathan Rose (7-3)

Strawweight Bout: Chiara Penco (5-3) vs. Katharina Dalisda (5-2)

Bantamweight Bout: Khurshed Kakhorov (7-0) vs. Jair Junior (7-2)