With breaking news today that welterweight Rory Macdonald had signed for Bellator it seemed only right to play matchmaker and select a top five list of possible opponents for ‘The Red King’. The news exclusively broken by Flo Combat has been met with mixed emotions via social media. The following list is purely a fantasy match up and I obviously have no idea on the direction the promotion will take ultimately with their latest signing.
Paul Daley
Both welterweights are coming of a loss and with Daley telling me recently he’ll wait it out until Bellator sign a big name for him to tackle following his fight with Douglas Lima at Belator 138. This fight seems tailor made for what ‘Semtex’ has been waiting for. Both heavy hitters would make for an explosive showdown, pun intended and MacDonald’s relentless come forward style and ‘what did you say about my momma’ type punches would be just the sort of test that would bring out the best in both athletes.
Michael Page
A win over the elusive Page would immediately propel MacDonald into folkloredom…I can see the headlines now if he were to snare a win ‘The Red King turns over Page’ is what we here at #WHOATV would definately go for. I can’t help but feel this would be a bad match up for MacDonald even though a potential win could boost his stock in his first match up for the promotion.
Josh Koscheck
Macdonald’s been in some serious wars of late and what better way to ease him into Bellator than a match up with a former colleague who has previously taunted him after his win in 2012 by declaring “Maybe Rory should fight me? I doubt the UFC would want to see him get his ass kicked” What better way to Grant Koscheck’s wish by allowing these two men to go to war in the cage. Both coming of losses, both have facial structual weakness, MacDonald sports a reoccurring broken nose and Koscheck has previously sustained orbital damage.
Douglas Lima
Whilst unlikely given that Lima has been promised a title shot after his win over Paul Daley this still makes for a possible match up. Whilst I filmed behind the scenes at Bellator 138 one thing seemed clear, Lima was definitely set on avenging his loss to the current Bellator champion Andrey Koreshkov but it was also apparent he very much relished big fights. They come no bigger on Bellator’s roster by way of name value than MacDonald who represents a sizable scalp to Lima if they were to meet in the cage.
Rudy Bears
Missing in action since being KO’d by Michael ‘Venom’ Page in July of last year. Bears relishes the big fights having previously being stopped by Paul Daley this makes sense as a match up if Bellator plan to ease MacDonald into the promotion. It’s not a big sexy name to do battle against but having come off some of the most memorable wars this year this would be the right approach to take given the price tag which MacDonald probably entered the promotion with and the title contender status that will inevitably be mapped out for him.