Hector Lombard Moving to Welterweight, Interested in Nate Marquardt Fight

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UFC fans can expect to see a thinner Hector Lombard the next time the southpaw sets foot inside the Octagon.

Lombard officially announced his cut to welterweight on Wednesday via Twitter, posting pictures of his new meal plan. It is unknown when Lombard will return to action, but “UFC Tonight” reported Tuesday evening that the knockout artist is interested in a fight with ex-Strikeforce champion Nate Marquardt.

Lombard, 35, has gone 1-2 since joining the UFC last year, sandwiching a knockout of Rousimar Palhares between split-decision defeats to Tim Boetsch and Yushin Okami. Lombard’s March 3 loss to Okami in Saitama, Japan, marked just the fourth loss of the Cuban native’s 38-fight career.

Known for his knockout power and explosiveness, Lombard rattled off 24 wins in 25 fights prior to joining the UFC, with only a 2007 draw with Kyle Noke marring his record in that span. Lombard captured the Bellator middleweight title in 2009 but defended the belt just once in the subsequent two-plus years, outpointing Alexander Shlemenko to retain his title in 2010. However, Lombard remained active and undefeated in the Bellator cage, picking up four additional wins in either catch-weight or non-title affairs.