Bellator Champ Hector Lombard Eyes UFC, Rematch With Gegard Mousasi
by Chris Nelson on Aug 17, 2009 2:23 PM EDT
49 comments
Tatame has a revealing interview with Bellator's 185-pound champion Hector Lombard (21-2-1, 1 NC), who tore through his tournament bracket easily this year, amassing three knockout wins in three months. In it, the former Olympic judoka seems somewhat frustrated with the level of competition he's facing and hints at his post-Bellator plans.
Here are some excerpts, (roughly) translated from Portuguese by myself:
... the champion is already thinking about the possibility of heading for the UFC, but not right away.
"I don't know on the UFC, I'm under contract now and still have three fights with Bellator... I want more two fights before the end of the year, and with tough guys."
When he returns, Hector can place the championship on the line or wait for the champion of the next GP, which starts this year and will include black belt Sergio Moraes.
Having not lost since 2006, when he was beaten by Gegard Mousasi in PRIDE, the Cuban would like to go face-to-face with the Armenian once more.
"I would love to face him. I don't really care what weight, at 84kg [185 lbs.], or a catchweight," he says, disclosing that he did not train well for the fight.
"I didn't have good preparation for that fight. I trained one hour a day with my friends. Now, I train with American Top Team and I have a team behind me. At any weight, I would like to face Mousasi."
His visa issues apparently having been cleared up, I don't see any reason for the UFC not to sign Lombard and pump some fresh blood into their somewhat stagnant middleweight picture.
Click the full entry to watch video of Lombard winning the Bellator title.
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What is going on with Bellator anyway?
The UFC needs some talent at 185, so I say bring him on.
by Phildo on Aug 17, 2009 1:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
They delayed the 2nd season to get a better TV deal or something. Hopefully he gets his fights in sooner than later.
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by Beer Monster on Aug 17, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
they're shopping for a new TV deal
IIRC.
They’re looking to do better than ESPN Deportes.
they post-poned their 2nd season.
From 5 ounces:
With the recent announcement of Bellator Fighting Championships pushing their second season back to January of 2010, Bellator contracted heavyweight Dave "Pee Wee" Herman has decided to take a fight outside of the promotion to help pay the bills until then.
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by Kid Nate on Aug 17, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
hopefully they let everyone else fight also. They got a bunch of fights in early in the year, but shutting down for half a year sucks.
by Phildo on Aug 17, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
do you interpret that as them shopping for something better than deportes, because they want to? or that there might be some truth to the rumors of an espn/ufc deal, and they’ve been sent packing? i have nothing to back up the latter, but it might explain the postponement
by woooburn on Aug 17, 2009 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s hard to say what exactly is happening, but I assume ESPN put them on Deportes as a way to see if they liked the product. Their fights were decent and production wasn’t bad. So it’s likely something has changed since then. It’s either a UFC issue, money issue, or time slot issue.
by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 17, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As far back as before the Finals, Bjorn was saying that they were entertaining offers from other networks. I’m sure they would have been cool with ESPN2, but it didn’t sound like the network had made any strong commitments in that regard.
by madiq on Aug 18, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
cool. thanks for the insight. i am admittedly a bit clueless about bellator, because of said broadcasting deal. sounds like the fights were excellent.
by woooburn on Aug 18, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
apparently (according to 5ouncesofpain) Bellator lost a tv deal and the 2nd season has been postponed till 2010
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by Venom77 on Aug 17, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
lombard vs akiyama
would be the hotness
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by Kid Nate on Aug 17, 2009 2:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m actually kind of frightened by Lombard. He definitely looks the part.
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
by Day Man on Aug 17, 2009 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In the UFC, Lombard might be better off at 170 if he could make it. Karo/Lombard.
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by Beer Monster on Aug 17, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Karo dies in that fight, IMO.
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"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Aug 17, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think if Karo was in shape, he could make Lightweight. He has looked very unimpressive lately to say the least.
by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 17, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Karo never recovered from the injury that put him out of his fight with Hughes
He needs surgery if its not too late and to cut down to lightweight.
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by Kid Nate on Aug 17, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wonder if he has the work ethic to make it back after a major surgery.
He is the same size as Diego Sanchez…..
by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 17, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He would have to cut a lot of muscles. He’s the same height as Thiago Alves but looks a lot more muscular. But it would be nice to see him at 170 cause he’s too short to 185lbs.
by dancingChicken on Aug 17, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
more muscular?
lol he is not more muscular he def. has some extra flab to lose
by xbuckeyex05 on Aug 17, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I used to look like that…then I started working out! Pathetic.
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
by Day Man on Aug 17, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
my bad I was talking about Karo
by xbuckeyex05 on Aug 18, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Putting up pictures of me in my PRIDE days
Just doesn’t cut it.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Aug 17, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whats the H.L. tattoo stand for? Huge Leland?
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
by Day Man on Aug 17, 2009 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does lombard look like he could make 170????He is a monster
Sometimes you wonder, do they understand the game of football? They have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch.
Roy Keane
by RealIrish on Aug 17, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Alves looks like that in the cage too, and he’s well above 185 by the time he gets in there. He makes the cut. And he’s at ATT, isn’t he? The masters of the big cut.
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by Beer Monster on Aug 17, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lombard looks small in that picture. In the cage he looks huge, a lot bigger than Alves
by dancingChicken on Aug 17, 2009 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is what happens when fighters sign with unproven organizations. Their careers get put into influx….
I am always very critical of upstart MMA promotions. This is exactly why.
by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 17, 2009 2:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Of course, that “upstart organization” was the only one that was able to, or inclined to, get his Visa situation fixed up, so that he could actually compete here…
by madiq on Aug 18, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is Lombard’s contract exclusive? It’s not like he can’t fight elsewhere if it’s not.
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by Beer Monster on Aug 17, 2009 2:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
it is
and they have a champions clause.
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by Kid Nate on Aug 17, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If they don’t have a TV contract secured by the end of October (perhaps November at the very latest), they need to either sell the contracts or release the fighters.
by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 17, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Eddie Alvarez has outside contracts and won the LW tourney. He’s bound to fight somewhere else in the meantime, but he might be a special case.
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by Beer Monster on Aug 17, 2009 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bellator veto’d a fight he was gonna take earlier.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 17, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The JZ fight? I thought Monte Cox said no to that.
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by Beer Monster on Aug 17, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cox said Bellator said no.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 17, 2009 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Monte Cox is on record saying that he’s with Bellator and it’s exclusive, so he can’t.
by Phildo on Aug 17, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Anyone agree that Eddie Alvarez made a mistake signing with Bellator?
by The Bronzeville Bully on Aug 17, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Alvarez made a lot more money with Bellator than he would've anywhere else
a lot more.
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by Kid Nate on Aug 17, 2009 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Plus, I think one reason they vetoed the JZ fight was that they were negotiating to bring Calvancante to the promotion for the second season tournament, and they didn’t want to give away that matchup.
by madiq on Aug 18, 2009 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does anyone remember the time frame on these deals?
If they can’t/don’t offer the fights by a certain amount there should be some recourse.
by Phildo on Aug 17, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
How is this guy 185?
He’s freaking huge! He’s a monster. I feel sorry for anyone fighting this guy.
by thesource on Aug 17, 2009 4:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Love me some Shango
This is one of the guys I’ve wanted to see in the UFC for ages, but somehow just doesn’t cross over.
I STILL poop rainbows.
by Blackout612 on Aug 17, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It saddens me that he didn’t get to fight Karo at 78. He should have been in the UFC a while ago.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Aug 17, 2009 5:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I hope that Strikeforce and Bellator can figure out a way to put some super-fights together during the “off-season,” so that Bellator’s champions can get fights. I’d be cool with Lombard vs. Lawler, and Lyman Good vs. Jay Hieron, and OF COURSE Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez would be neat too.
by madiq on Aug 18, 2009 10:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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