Johny Hendricks vs. Hector Lombard in the works for UFC Fight Night: Halifax
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Johny Hendricks is getting another shot in the UFC.
The promotion is currently working on Hendricks vs. Lombard at 185 pounds for UFC Fight Night: Halifax on Feb. 19. The fight would mark Hendricks' middleweight debut.
The UFC originally tried to book the fight for UFC 208 in Brooklyn, but clearance issues with the New York State Athletic Commission precluded that from happening, so they moved it to the Halifax card, which recently lost its main event. According to sources, though, the promotion has yet to determine whether it will serve as the main event. It appears, as of right now, that original headliner Junior dos Santos will be left off the card after the UFC was unable to find a suitable replacement for the injured Stefan Struve.
Hendricks (17-6) has lost his last three fights in a row, most recently against Neil Magny at UFC 207 last month. Prior to the loss, Hendricks missed weight by 2.5 pounds, and he told MMAFighting.com afterwards that his days of fighting at welterweight were over.
"I'm done fighting at welterweight," he said, just hours before the fight. "Unless they open up a 175-pound division, I'm moving up to middleweight."
That wasn't Hendricks' first time having an issue making welterweight.
First, he needed an extra hour to make weight prior to his UFC 171 title fight against Robbie Lawlwer in March 2014. Then, in Oct. 2015, he was forced to withdraw from his UFC 192 fight against Tyron Woodley a day before due to weight-cutting issues. And prior to his most recent fight against Kelvin Gastelum, at UFC 200 in July, Hendricks missed weight by a quarter of a pound.
Lombard (34-6-1, 2 NC) is winless in his last three fights and hasn't won since UFC 171 in March 2014. Coincidentally, that was the night Hendricks became the UFC welterweight champion.
Source: Hendricks-Lombard in the works for Halifax
Johny Hendricks is getting another shot in the UFC.
The promotion is currently working on Hendricks vs. Lombard at 185 pounds for UFC Fight Night: Halifax on Feb. 19. The fight would mark Hendricks' middleweight debut.
The UFC originally tried to book the fight for UFC 208 in Brooklyn, but clearance issues with the New York State Athletic Commission precluded that from happening, so they moved it to the Halifax card, which recently lost its main event. According to sources, though, the promotion has yet to determine whether it will serve as the main event. It appears, as of right now, that original headliner Junior dos Santos will be left off the card after the UFC was unable to find a suitable replacement for the injured Stefan Struve.
Hendricks (17-6) has lost his last three fights in a row, most recently against Neil Magny at UFC 207 last month. Prior to the loss, Hendricks missed weight by 2.5 pounds, and he told MMAFighting.com afterwards that his days of fighting at welterweight were over.
"I'm done fighting at welterweight," he said, just hours before the fight. "Unless they open up a 175-pound division, I'm moving up to middleweight."
That wasn't Hendricks' first time having an issue making welterweight.
First, he needed an extra hour to make weight prior to his UFC 171 title fight against Robbie Lawlwer in March 2014. Then, in Oct. 2015, he was forced to withdraw from his UFC 192 fight against Tyron Woodley a day before due to weight-cutting issues. And prior to his most recent fight against Kelvin Gastelum, at UFC 200 in July, Hendricks missed weight by a quarter of a pound.
Lombard (34-6-1, 2 NC) is winless in his last three fights and hasn't won since UFC 171 in March 2014. Coincidentally, that was the night Hendricks became the UFC welterweight champion.
Source: Hendricks-Lombard in the works for Halifax
