MacDonald targeting welterweight, middleweight titles in 2017

Rory MacDonald looked like a champion in his Bellator debut and he's planning on doubling up on that kind of performance.

Competing in London this past Friday, "The Red King" made short work of welterweight contender Paul Daley, finishing him in the second round with a rear-naked choke. That win earned MacDonald a shot at the Bellator 170-lb title, and he told Ariel Helwani on "The MMA Hour" that he could see himself challenging for the 185-lb title in the near future as well.

"I'd like to fight for the middleweight title maybe at the end of the year," said MacDonald. "If there's a big card that we could promote and get me and the middleweight champion on there - obviously not looking past the welterweight championship fight - I'm just saying if everything goes as planned, everything's hunky-dory, an end-of-the-year show for the middleweight title would be fantastic."

The middleweight title is currently held by Rafael Carvalho. He is on the hunt for fresh challengers after back-to-back successful defenses against Melvin Manhoef.

Before anything with Carvalho can occur, MacDonald is expected to face the winner of a June 24 bout between Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima and Lorenz Larkin.