Following a dominant performance against Josh Burkman at UFC 182, Cuban knockout artist Hector Lombard looked set for a number 1 contenders match with Rory MacDonald at UFC 186. However, Lombard’s title aspirations came to an abrupt halt when he tested positive for designer steroid desoxymethyltestosterone and was issued a 12 month ban by the Nevada Athletic Commission. While Lombard has been ruled out of the Octagon, the welterweight has chosen to stay busy by competing, returning to his grappling roots and announcing his participation in the Five Grappling tournament on August 2 alongside jiu-jitsu luminaries like Joao Assis and James Puopolo.
Hector Lombard is no stranger to the mats, having competed in the Olympics as a judoka and participating in a number of no-gi grappling matches, one of which ended in a nasty leg break. Five Grappling Super League will likely act as the last leg in Lombard’s preparation for the forth coming ADCC championships in Brazil in August and is sure to serve as a litmus test to show if the MMA fighter can hang with the best grapplers on the planet.
Five Grappling Super League goes down on August 2 in California and features a pair of stacked tournaments and additional superfights. The event will be streamed live on PPV at fivegrappling.com.