Douglas Lima doesn’t believe Michael Page should get a title shot anytime soon.

Page is riding a three-fight winning streak since suffering his first loss to Lima at Bellator 221. Since the knockout loss, he beat Richard Kiely, Giovanni Melillo, and Shinsho Anzai by knockout. With “MVP” on a winning streak he has called for a rematch with Lima. Yet, the champion isn’t impressed with the Englishman’s caliber of wins and says he doesn’t deserve a title shot.

“He needs a ranked win for sure. Sure he won his last three fights. But, after I beat him, he beat a guy, no disrespect, but the guy was 3-1,” Lima said to BJPENN.com. “You can’t come out of a fight with me, lose the way you lost, like a brutal knockout, and then you beat a 3-1 guy and ask for a title shot. That is not how it works. Go beat [Lorenz] Larkin, beat [Andrey] Koreshkov, beat some ranked guys then ask for a title fight. Get some better wins then we will fight.”

Who Douglas Lima will defend his belt at welterweight next is to be seen. There are plenty of contenders available. He says he doesn’t care who it is, but believes Lorenz Larkin is the most deserving.

“Honestly, I don’t pick. It’s whoever is deserving of a title shot. Larkin is coming off a good win. I know it will be a rematch. Pretty much all the top guys I’ve already beaten,” he said. “We’ll see. There are some names coming up so we will see who is next for me at welterweight.”

For now, Lima is focusing on moving up to middleweight to battle Gegard Mousasi for the vacant middleweight title. He says the plan is still for the fight to happen next once Bellator can start putting on events again.

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 4/29/2020.