He’s baaaaaack ….
Hector Lombard will return from his year-long suspension on March 20, 2016, which is when Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will return “Down Under” to Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia.
The world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) league tonight announced that “Showeather” would compete in UFC Fight Night 84’s co-main event opposite the busiest Welterweight in the business, Neil Magny.
Lombard tested positive for the anabolic steroid desoxymethyltestosterone after his unanimous decision win over Josh Burkman at UFC 182 in Jan. 2015. In addition to the one-year suspension, the Cuban-born Olympic Judoka — who ultimately took responsibility for not being more careful about what he puts in his body — was hit with a fine of more than $70,000.
Either way, his reputation was tarnished. And now he’ll have to try and pick up the pieces in the twilight of his career.
Magny, meanwhile, has competed 10 times in the last two years, making him one of the more active fighters on the roster alongside Donald Cerrone. Perhaps most impressive is that he has been victorious nine times during that span, the lone defeat coming at the smothering hands of Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, Demian Maia, in April 2015.
The Brooklyn, N.Y., product currently sits at No. 8 on the promotion’s official 170-pound rankings.
UFC Fight Night 84 features a Heavyweight main event between former division champion, Frank Mir, against fan favorite Mark Hunt. Other match ups confirmed for the FOX Sports 1-televised event include James Te Huna vs. Steve Bosse, Brendan O’Reilly vs. Alan Jouban and Daniel Kelly vs. Antonio Carlos Jr.