Bellator has announced that the vacant Welterweight title will find a new home come Friday, April 18, when season 9 tournament winner Rick “Genghis” Hawn (18-2) faces season 8 winner Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (25-5), in the main event of Bellator 117 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Lima is a 2 time Welterweight tournament winner, also having won the season 5 tournament; but then was defeated by Ben Askren at Bellator 64 in a title bout. “The Phenom” defeated Michail Tsarev (UD), Bryan Baker (KO), and Ben Saunders (KO); to win the season 9 tournament.
Rick Hawn has been in 3 Bellator tournaments reaching the finals of the season 4 Welterweight tournament, winning the season 6 Lightweight tournament, and returning to Welterweight to win the season 9 tournament. In his run through the season 9 Hawn defeated Herman Terrado (UD), Brent Weedman (UD), and Ron Keslar (KO).
