No Tyron Woodley? No problem.
Hector Lombard has shifted his focus away from "The Chosen One" after Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White came out and stated that Woodley wanted no part in a welterweight fight against "Showeather."
You know, because it doesn't work for his "brand."
Now, Lombard is moving on to bigger things (literally) as he tells MMA Fighting that he wouldn't mind packing on the pounds to go back up to the middleweight division to take on Gegard Mousasi.
And he would do it with only one goal in mind: to beat up the Armenian.
"I want to beat him up."
Short, not-so-sweet, and to the point.
The two have already fought once before, as Mousasi defeated Hector at PRIDE "Bushido 13" via unanimous decision way back in 2006. They both went on to have great success since then in various mixed martial arts (MMA) promotions, and now it seems their paths may cross again inside the world-famous Octagon.
Or will it?
Lombard is currently riding a two-fight win streak in the crowded welterweight division, so moving up to 185 pounds and possibly losing could take away all the momentum he's generated.
The former Bellator champ was scheduled to face Dong Hyun Kim at UFC Fight Night 48 a few weeks ago, but an injury forced him off the Fight Pass event (details) and he was ultimately replaced by the aforementioned Woodley.
Mousasi, meanwhile, is coming off a disappointing loss to Ronaldo Souza at UFC Fight Night 50 just last Friday (Sept. 5, 2014), as he was forced to tap to "Jacare's" air-tight guillotine in the third round (video highlights).
Still, just because "Showeather" is willing to go back up to 185 pounds, doesn't mean Dana White and Co. will be so eager to let him.
Who wants it?