Two MMA vets in Hector Lombard and Rouismar Palhares will take the Octagon as the middleweight bout on UFC on FX 6’s main card.
Both of these fighters enter this bout coming off a loss, with Palhares losing to Alan Belcher and Palhares falling to Tim Boetsch in a controversial split decision. That loss was Lombard’s first UFC bout after previously owning the middleweight belt in both AFC, CFC and Bellator. And he has the power to end any fight quickly—17 of his 31 career victories have been knockouts. Palhares, meanwhile, has struggled against fighters with top-notch power. His loss to Belcher was a first-round TKO while his last loss, to Nate Marquardt, was also a TKO via punches. This fight should be a better chance for Lombard to earn his first UFC victory, and even though he is favored, play on LOMBARD to take this one quickly.
The MMA Odds Breaker crew gives their fight predictions based on the opening lines for this bout:
Saying "Lightning" Lombard dominated before his most recent loss would be an understatement. In his previous 25 fights he had gone 24-0-1. Just seven of his career wins have gone to the judges with his 17 knockouts and seven submissions. Granted he was not facing the best fighters while not in UFC, but he showed he can hang against Boetsch, who is a strong competitor (4 straight UFC wins). That fight could easily have gone the other way with a split decision and Lombard showing his power potential at various points. The 34-year-old Cuban native should be able to land a big punch in this one to end it, setting up a knockout or potential submission. Don’t be surprised if he does before the first bell.
The 32-year-old Palhares also has a vast MMA career, but he has more experience in the Octagon, where he is 7-3. Prior to losing to Belcher in the first round, he won three straight against Mike Massenzio, Dan Miller and Dave Branch. "Toquinho" Palhares will have a chance if he can take this to the final bell, but his best hope might be catching Lombard being too aggressive and earning a submission. More than half of his career wins have come that way, with his leg locks having the strength to keep any opponent at bay if he can get into position. That will be tough against somebody as strong as Lombard, but it does give the scrappy Brazilian Palhares a slim hope for the upset.
