Jim and Dan Miller, Antonio Rodrigo and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Patricky and Patricio Freire, and Nick and Nate Diaz are just a few pairs of brothers in the sport that have found success at the highest levels. 2012 may mark the year when another pair of fighting brothers ascends into the ranks of MMA’s elite.
Douglas Lima, a 2011 World MMA Scouting Report prospect, fulfilled his half of the deal by tearing through the Bellator season five welterweight tournament, capping off the run with a knockout victory over UFC veteran Ben Saunders in November. Following in Douglas’s footsteps, 21-year-old younger brother Dhiego Lima (6-0), fighting under the Maximum Fighting Championships’ banner, is eying gold, and he’s on the verge of getting the attention he deserves from the UFC.
The Ascension MMA fighter remains undefeated in six professional bouts, most recently finishing Jamie Toney and Josh Taveirne at MFC 30 and MFC 29 respectively. Unlike his brother, Dhiego has been far more focused on developing his stand-up game at an early stage in his career, boasting an effective ranged attack that utilizes every inch of his six-foot frame to break his opponents.
Defensively, he’s well-versed in blocking attacks and countering with kicks and punches. He has respectable takedown defense, but he’s more likely to work off his back and use his skillful grappling base to catch opponents off-guard.
Dhiego has stated in recent interviews that it’s the UFC or bust for him. Those goals don’t seem lofty considering how quickly his brother improved. If that’s any indication, Dhiego will hone his skills and begin taking out accomplished competition in 2012. His first major test will take place on January 27 at MFC 32 against highly-touted Brazilian prospect Bruno Carvalho. It’s a must-see fight to begin the new year.
Check out video footage of Dhiego Lima after the jump…
| Flyweight | Bantamweight | Featherweight | Lightweight |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
#1 – Rony Mariano #2 – Aljamain Sterling #3 – Chris Holdsworth #4 – Josh Hill #5 – Fabiano Fernandes #6 – Claudio Ledesma #7 – Sirwan Kakai #8 – Kyoji Horiguchi #9 – Leandro Hygo #10 – Pedro Munhoz |
#1 – Hacran Dias #2 – Joey Gambino #3 – Brandon Bender #4 – Lance Palmer #5 – Jim Alers #6 – Anthony Gutierrez #7 – Max Holloway #8 – John Teixeira #9 – Cody Bollinger #10 – Bubba Jenkins |
#1 – Fabricio Guerreiro #2 – Alessandro Ferreira #3 – Adriano Martins #4 – Justin Salas #5 – Neilson Gomes #6 – Eduard Folayang #7 – Zorobabel Moreira #8 – Anton Kuivanen #9 – Jordan Rinaldi #10 – J.P. Vainikainen |
| Welterweight | Middleweight | Light Heavyweight | Heavyweight |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 – #2 – Dhiego Lima #3 – Brandon Thatch #4 – Nordine Taleb #5 – Hernani Perpetuo #6 – Brock Jardine #7 – Alan Jouban #8 – Mohsen Bahari #9 – Andre Santos #10 – Stephen Thompson |
#1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
#1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
#1 – #2 – #3 – #4 – #5 – #6 – #7 – #8 – #9 – #10 – |
Dhiego Lima vs. Jamie Toney
HDNet Webfights – Lima vs Taveirne
Bill Fraser vs Dhiego Lima – MFC 27 – Breakpoint
Dhiego Lima vs. Steve Montgomery
Augusta Extreme Fight Night VII – Napolean Etienne vs. Dhiego Lima
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