Lima retains welterweight title with unanimous decision over Larkin

Douglas Lima wasn't going to let a Bellator newcomer take his shine.

"The Phenom" out-struck Lorenz Larkin for five rounds to win a close unanimous decision and retain the Bellator welterweight title at Bellator NYC on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

This is Lima's first successful defense in his second run with the belt after he knocked out Andrey Koreshkov last November to reclaim it. He has now won three straight fights and his record in the Bellator cage stands at a sterling 11-2.

After a brief feeling-out period in Round 1, Lima scored big in the second frame with a counter combination that badly rocked Larkin. A finish looked inevitable, but "The Monsoon" was able to weather the storm and survive the rest of the round.

Following that exchange, the action settled down, with Lima maintaining the advantage by landing sharp kicks on Larkin's body and front leg. That rhythm carried into the championship rounds, as Larkin was unable to close the distance and land a kill shot on the champ.

It was a disappointing start to Larkin's Bellator career after he exited the UFC last year while ranked in the top 10 of that promotion's contender list. He sees a two-fight win streak snapped and falls to 18-6 in his pro career.