By Michael Hatamoto

Douglas Lima finished MMA veteran Ben Saunders by knockout during their main event fight at Bellator 100 on Friday night in Phoenix, Arizona.

Saunders is an experienced MMA veteran, but he never looked comfortable in the cage with Lima – a pattern that first occurred in their first fight.

Lima previously beat Saunders by knockout at Bellator 57, and many MMA followers expected the same result again. However, it was the brutal fashion in which Lima ended the fight with Saunders at Bellator 100, landing a perfectly-timed head kick to make Saunders collapse on the mat.

Earlier in the second round, Lima dropped Saunders with an amazing left hook body shot, and then a right head kick that brutally finished Saunders.

Here is what Lima said after the fight:

“I feel good. I think I broke my hand again in the first round. I’m pissed about that. Ben Saunders is a warrior. It happens, man. Somebody’s got to lose.”

Lima followed the game plan he discussed with media prior to the fight, saying he wished for an aggressive and violent showing against Saunders.

Besides a decision loss to dominant Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren, Lima has been on an impressive tear through Bellator – racking up a 7-1 record. I think Lima is the fighter with the best chance of beating Askren, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, as Askren shows dominant force in the Bellator cage.

Also, Askren is currently in the middle of contract negotiations with Bellator, so Lima will either get a rematch or will fight someone else for an interim championship in 2014.