Hector Lombard has hit hard times of late, but the UFC is giving ‘Showeather’ another shot.
After losing four straight, many thought that former Bellator MMA middleweight champion Hector Lombard’s time in the UFC might be over. Despite his struggles, however, the promotion is giving him another look. The Cuban-Australian Olympic judoka, who has not won a bout since 2014, will face C.B. Dollaway at UFC 222 next March. The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Adam Hill first reported the news.
Lombard (34–8–1 (2)) was tabbed by many as the man to beat Anderson Silva when he first moved over from Bellator. However, his UFC run went South in a hurry, with the fighter losing his promotional debut in a close split decision to Tim Boetsch. Subsequent to that, Lombard went 3-1, but any momentum he had built was derailed with a failed drug test for anabolic steroids after his 2015 bout with Josh Burkman at UFC 182. Lombard’s original win was overturned to a no contest; in addition, he was forced to sit out a year.
Since then, Lombard has dropped fights to Neil Magny, Dan Henderson, Johny Hendricks, and Anthony Smith. Lombard was finished in three of the four bouts. Now 39 years old, he’s in desperate need of a win.
C.B. Dollaway (16–8), meanwhile, recently snapped a three-fight losing streak of his own. Taking home a decision win over Ed Herman at the TUF 25 finale in July of this year, he’ll look to make it two in a row against ‘Showeather.’
UFC 222 takes place March 3, 2018 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. No main event has been announced for the card.
