Scott Coker likes Michael Page, Neiman Gracie as potential next opponents for Douglas Lima

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Scott Coker doesn’t see Douglas Lima’s loss to Gegard Mousasi as too big of a setback.

Bellator welterweight champion Lima (32-8 MMA, 14-4 BMMA) fell short in his pursuit to capture the vacant middleweight title when he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Mousasi in Thursday’s Bellator 250 main event.

Speaking to reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight, Coker discussed what could be next for Lima and when he expects to see him back. He mentioned the likes of Michael Page, who’s been chomping at the bit to run things back with Lima, as well as prospect and submission ace Neiman Gracie.

Lima bounced Page out of the ranks of the unbeaten in the Bellator welterweight grand prix semifinals in May 2019. Since then, Page has won four in a row, including three by knockout.

“He’s still our 170-pound champ, and we’re going to have some good fights for him, as well,” Coker said. “I know that ‘MVP’ wants to fight him again. I think Neiman Gracie (would be a good fight), right at the top of my head. So we’re going to put him in some good fights and we’re going to let him heal up, rest up, and sometime next year, we’ll put him back in the cage.”

Coker was impressed with Lima’s showing and thinks he put on a much better effort than Rory MacDonald did when he was stopped by Mousasi at Bellator 206 in his attempt to claim the middleweight title.

“I actually thought he handled the weight well, and Gegard vs. Rory was a much different fight, as you saw,” Coker said. “(Mousasi) just destroyed Rory. Gegard vs. Lima was a tactical war. Lima was looking for that big counter punch, in my opinion – that’s how he had the fight going, trying to get that left hook in there, and it was just Gegard’s night. But I’m sure both of them aren’t going to be in good spirits tonight and dealing with a lot of pain, and to me it was a great main event.”