Looking back on his Titan FC welterweight title win over David Michaud in June, Dhiego Lima feels that his victory was one of his most hard-fought, and exhilarating, bouts of his career.
Over the course of five rounds, Lima was able to overcome Michaud en route to a unanimous decision victory to claim the vacant Titan FC 170-pound title.
“That was definitely a fight,” Lima told MMAWeekly.com. “That was one of the most fun fights I’ve had. It was a five round war.
“I felt like I won the second round, the fourth round and the fifth round. It was a good fight. I know it could have gone either way, but I was so happy I got it. That was a dream come true; just to be a champion; that was a great fight there.”
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Having previously not captured a major MMA championship in his six-year career, it took a while for his new status to sink in for Lima.
“I think I got hit a little too much in that fight, so it took about a week for me to realize that I was the champion,” said Lima. “Once it all sank in, I thought it was awesome. It’s a great opportunity for me. I’m on a good track with two wins in a row and a champion, it was nice.”
Lima (12-4) now looks to defend his Titan FC welterweight title in the main event of the company’s Dec. 2 show in Coral Gables, Fla., when he takes on highly regarded prospect Jason Jackson (6-2).
“We’re going to touch gloves and we’re going to go,” Lima said of Jackson. “He’s a well-rounded guy, but I don’t see anything special in him. He just moves a lot, so that’s the only thing I had to focus a bit on in this camp. Other than that, I’m just worried about myself.
“I don’t care what he brings to the table. Everything he does, I do better, and I’m going to put this guy away. My last two fights ended in decision, so I need to make a statement, and I’m looking for a finish. Whether it’s on the feet or on the ground, I need to get a big finish in this fight.”
Lima believes a strong performance against Jackson will help him get back to the UFC. It’s a redemption he’s hoping to make for himself after a disappointing first run with the company last year.
“(Jackson) was a champion over at Victory FC; he was in the house, so they’ve really been looking at him,” said Lima. “I saw here in Atlanta, they actually had him at one of the tables there, so they’ve been looking at him.
“I think this is it – the winner moves on to the next step – so I’m really pumped about this one. It’s time – it’s my time.”
