One day soon, I want to go back to Middleweight division to cause some damage and prove I can do better at that weight
Last year, August to be precise when I called the phone number Hector Lombard had given me, I did not know what to expect, that’s me being sceptical of anyone, not just for the fact that it was UFC Welterweight Hector Lombard who is known for his straight talking, and honesty. He was in fact in the middle of getting his car washed and quite happy to talk about his upcoming fight on UFC 166.
This time though it was fight week, for UFC 171, Monday afternoon 3pm in Florida to be exact and 7pm here in the United Kingdom, something I don’t usually do is contact a fighter for an interview on fight week, but Hector was more than obliging so I dialled his number.
Hector was in good spirits, the only problem I was having was with technical issues my end, of all days, it had to be today which at times made our conversation a little hard, but all in all, considering it was fight week and Hector would be flying to Dallas for UFC 171 in the next day. Hector was a pleasure to interview and his honest usual self.
I would like to thank Hector for taking time out his busy schedule especially on fight week for this Interview.
EB.Now that you are at welterweight, how are you feeling having had previous long thoughts about dropping to the Welterweight Division?
HL. Now that I am at 170lb, I am feeling great. I am a lot faster, which will just add more danger in my knock out power.
EB. How has the transition gone from being a Middleweight to Welterweight?
HL. It was hard at first but you have to do what you have to do. I am finding it okay, it is a transition and it is going okay.
EB. When we last spoke, we spoke about if you were worried about losing any of your ‘explosive power, speed or cardio’ for the drop to Welterweight for the Nate Marquardt fight in which you clearly had not. What did you credit that too?
HL. I trained hard, had the right nutrition, and managed the weight cut properly. Proved I could go down to Welterweight where the UFC wants me at the minute.
EB. Have you managed to enlist the help of Mike Dolce (we spoke about trying to enlist Mike’s help in our last Interview) or have you maintained your own nutritional methods and advice of others like ‘fresh meal plan’?
HL. I have been working with Fresh meal plan since my last fight. It would have been good to work with Mike Dolce but he has been very busy with other fighters. I am happy working with Fresh Meal plan, the nutrition and diet management I get from them is working great for me.
EB. Is the Welterweight Division going to be your new home in the UFC?
HL. Yes, I suppose. I hope one day UFC let me go back to Middleweight and get some fights there, especially now that I know how to cut the weight, cut the weight properly, professionally, healthy, all the right way.
One day soon, I want to go back to Middleweight division to cause some damage and prove I can do better at that weight.
EB. You are going to be facing Jake Shields at UFC 171 on Saturday March 15th in Dallas. How did the fight come about as I do not recall either of you ‘calling one another out’ this time?
HL. No, I did not call Jake Shields out! Not many people want to face Jake Shields because he is very boring, a boring fighter and he makes fights boring. People are scared of having a bad performance in the UFC, which I did not really care about, I am quite happy beating a person like that. Jake Shields will put me on the top. I am fighting him right now that is all that matters.
EB. When we last spoke you also stated ‘you will have to go back to your old days and knock people out’. That you did to Nate Marduardt taking just 1min 48secs in Round one of your fight, do you see this happening with Jake Shields?
HL. Not many people want to fight Jake shields so I am up to the challenge. I am up for the opportunity, I am quite happy that I got the opportunity.
EB. This seems a classic ‘Grappler v Striker’ fight, what do you think Shields ‘Game plan’ will be as he is known to ‘Grind out a Decision Win’ and we know the Judges don’t tend to favour yourself when the fight ends in a decision?
I know the judges hate me. If we go to a decision, I know I have lost. Even, if Jake wins or even if he loses, the judges always give the decision to Jake, I try not to go to decision. If it goes to decision, I know I am going to lose. I will try to perform well, I will try to make it an exciting fight, because I know I have to win the fight, decision winning there is no way for me.
EB. What can the fans expect to see in this fight?
HL. I hope that it is an exciting fight this time for Jake Shields and of course, I will make it exciting as I can.
EB. Your teammate, Robbie Lawler is Headlining for the Welterweight Title on the same night against Johnny Hendricks; can I ask you for your prediction?
HL. I definitely see Robbie winning the fight especially in the later rounds. Hendricks cuts a lot of weight, for which he will not recover from and will show, he will get tired in those later rounds.
I like Robbie and hope he wins the Title for our Gym, I will be there cheering for him, supporting him, hoping to celebrate with him and hoping it is a double celebration for us both.
EB. Secondly what are your personal thoughts on teammates and friends when it comes to fighting one another, is it something you would do?
HL. I do not like to fight my Team Mates!
EB. Jake Shields is a tough opponent to finish; for this training camp is there any area that you have been working on that little bit extra to add your overall game?
HL. I have been training a lot more Jiu jitsu at the moment, as that is what Shields is known for and he uses to take all his fights to the floor! Apart from that, just sharpening up on the rest of my overall game.
EB. Is there anyone you would like to fight next?
HL. Michael Bisping. I have been asking for the fight since I have been in the UFC. He has been running away wishing me to lose so I can be out of his way and not call him out so we do not fight. I cannot wait until the day UFC gives me this opportunity to move back up to Middleweight and to fight Michael Bisping. It will be a good, exciting fight for everyone.
EB. I listened to the MMARoasted podcast. What is the story with Boxer ‘Adrien Broner’?
HL. Adrien Broner is a joke, he’s an idiot, he said ‘anyone can come to MMA and win a Title’, guess what then, why doesn’t he come to MMA and get a Title if he thinks it’s that easy, come over here to MMA, win the Title then go back to Boxing. Realistically he cannot win the belt in his own sport; he walks around as if he is a playboy, with several different women, making porno’s putting it online himself! He pisses me off!
In MMA we learn Boxing, Jiu jitsu, wrestling, we have to know so much about the sport and then do it, and then perform in front of everybody, you then get a person who only does boxing and talks all that crap!
Do not get me wrong I love boxing; I respect the sport from The Fabulous Four (Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns), Ali to Tyson. I am a big fan of the sport in general, but when you get a person that tells people, what we do is easy who does not even do the sport himself, or has trained in the sport let alone had one fight in the sport, he is talking shit, and it is embarrassing. If you are going to talk shit about my sport, back it up.
He knows where to find me, I wish one day he would grow some balls and come to my gym or I to his gym and we do a sparring session and I will show him, I will knock him out in the first round, just boxing.
EB. Is there anyone you would you like to Thank?
Fresh Meal Plan, ML Management, American Top Team, My Trainers, Coaches Hayabusa, Training Mask, Fear The Fighter, God for keeping me healthy for this fight, and The Lord Jesus Christ.
I then gave Hector my not so ‘useless’ facts about me:
When he [Hector] fought Palhares on December 15th for which he won that was my birthday.
When he [Hector] fought Marquardt on October 19th for which he won that was my sisters birthday.
On March 15th when he [Hector] fights Shields that is my Sons birthday.
UFC 171takes place on Saturday March 15th , Dallas, American Airlines Center
Headlined by Johny Hendricks vs Robbie Lawler for the vacant Welterweight Title more info here
If you missed my interview last August where Hector was Open and Honest and said back then, he wanted Michael Bisping, plus much more, you can read it here
https://emmaboxinbramford.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/im-back-on-my-blog-five-rounds-with-emma-catch-up-season-one-commence-hector-lombard/
Five Rounds with Emma 
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