Bellator Champ Hector Lombard Eyes UFC, Rematch With Gegard Mousasi
by Chris Nelson on Aug 17, 2009 2:23 PM EDT
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.
Source: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/8/17/99 ... mbard-eyes