UFC alumni McDonald, Letourneau triumph in Bellator debuts

Michael McDonald's Bellator stint is off to a good start.

After missing the bantamweight limit by 1.6 pounds on the eve of his promotional debut, the former UFC contender bested fellow newcomer Peter Ligier by unanimous decision in Bellator 191's headliner at Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England on Friday.

McDonald rebounded from a brutal knockout loss suffered at John Lineker's hands 17 months ago in his first walk to the Bellator cage - this, after parting ways with the UFC and signing with the Scott Coker-led outfit this past March.

In just the third trip to the scorecards of his 22-fight career, the 26-year-old scored a few well-timed takedowns and did just enough on the feet through three tepid rounds to get the nod from all three judges by as many tallies of 30-27.

Ligier's second defeat in 11 professional contests sees his five-fight unbeaten run snapped.

Related: How woodworking gave Michael McDonald a new lease on his fighting career

Also getting her hand raised in her first fight under the Bellator banner was fellow UFC import and former strawweight title challenger Valerie Letourneau. The 34-year-old put the grueling cuts to 115 pounds behind her for good and claimed all three scorecards in the women's flyweight co-main event opposite England's Kate Jackson.

Letourneau withdrew from what would have marked her Bellator debut against Emily Ducote due to injury in July, but rode a calculated striking attack to snap a three-fight skid in her return from a year-long layoff. The American Top Team product picked Jackson off with kicks and combinations at every attempt the Brit made to stage a phone-booth fight - a second-round trip to the mat that saw Letourneau angle for an armbar notwithstanding.

The 31-year-old Jackson suffered her first loss in seven fights with the one-sided verdict.