There are very few things to get excited about when Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) makes its historic debut in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, tonight (Sat., July 21, 2012). Injuries, over saturation and other issues have ravaged UFC 149; however, the pay-per-view (PPV) main card will feature one of the most intriguing promotional debuts in quite some time the moment Hector Lombard sets foot inside the Octagon.
"Shango" has been a straight up can killer on the regional and international circuits the past five years, winning 24 straight and carving a swath of human wreckage along the way. He's certainly also topped his fair share of quality opposition, too, which resulted in the Cuban-born terror becoming the undisputed Bellator Middleweight champion.
That's something worth writing home about.
Lombard and his supporters have talked quite a big game in the build up to his "big league" arrival. And when he enters the Scotiabank Saddledome later on this evening, make no mistake that all eyes will be on him (who else is there to watch besides the main event?) when he collides with UFC veteran Tim Boetsch.
If Lombard is impressive against the "Barbarian" -- arguably the best fighter he has faced in years -- he could immediately enter himself into the Anderson Silva sweepstakes. Underwhelm, which wouldn't be a surprise based on the lofty expectations, first-fight jitters and all the other intangibles that can and often do affect first-time UFC fighters, and he could quickly (and unfairly) be branded a bust.
We'll find out tonight, Maniacs. Get pumped.
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