UFC Fight Night 105: Lewis vs. Browne Date: February 19, 2017 Arena: Scotiabank Centre City: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Middleweight bout: Hector Lombard (-125) vs. Johny Hendricks (+115) Fight Breakdown: The co-main event for UFC Fight Night 105 in Halifax will be a middleweight contest between former UFC welterweight champion Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks and former Bellator middleweight champion Hector “Shango” Lombard, with Hendricks being a very small betting underdog at +115 ($100 to win $115) and Lombard slightly favored to win at -125 ($125 to win $100) at Several Bookmakers. Johnny Hendricks (17-6 MMA, 12-6 UFC) last saw action at UFC 207 a few weeks ago, where he lost a controversial unanimous decision to Neil Magny, which marked his third consecutive defeat inside the Octagon. Since the loss, he has finally made the move up to the UFC’s 185-pound division, where he will be greeted by fellow former welterweight Lombard. The Oklahoma native packs serious power in both of his hands and has solid boxing skills. He throws a nice looping right hook and is effective with his right hand, but he is most vicious with his left, throwing hooks, straights, uppercuts and overhands that all have bad intentions behind them. To compliment his striking, Hendricks has a good chin but also noteworthy head movement. He works well inside the clinch, from which position he likes to use his knees to soften up his opponents and look for the takedown. When he doesn’t get the takedown and they break, he likes to throw a hard left upon exiting the clinch. “Bigg Rigg” is a four-time Division I All-American wrestler out of Oklahoma State University who works powerful takedowns, including a solid single leg and his preferred double leg, but also delivers some beautiful slams. His cardio has not been good lately, but it may be improved now that he’s no longer cutting down to 170 pounds, so that is something to keep an eye on going into this middleweight contest scheduled for three rounds. Hector Lombard (34-6-1-2 NC MMA, 3-4-1 NC UFC) last saw action at UFC 199 eight months ago, where he suffered a second-round knockout against Dan Henderson, marking the first official knockout loss of his professional mixed martial arts career. That followed a third-round TKO loss to Neil Magny, which marked the first official TKO loss of his career. He is now on a two-fight losing streak inside the Octagon, and much like Hendricks, he has his back against the wall heading into this one. Lombard has very good striking and has tremendous power, possessing knockout ability in every strike. He has dangerous hands and heavy kicks. The former Bellator middleweight champion is a southpaw who has a dangerous left hand and likes to use his right to set up the left, and he favors the left cross. He has an excellent right hook and a vicious left uppercut. The Cuban is very dangerous inside the clinch; he does a good job of closing the distance, finding his range and inflicting damage upon his opponents, often securing the T/KO finish, as has been the case in 19 of 34 career contests. Lombard has very fast hands and puts together some fantastic combinations on the feet. He has excellent dirty boxing and is very explosive. “Shango” is a tremendous athlete who competed in the Olympics in the sport of Judo for native Cuba. Owning a black belt in Judo, he has great takedown defense with strong hips and a solid base. Lombard is a talented grappler all-around, as he also owns a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and seven career victories by tapout. He works solid takedowns, preferring trips and throws. The 39-year-old trains out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL and his cardio will be something to keep an eye on in this contest. Conditioning has been his main weakness, which at times results in lack of activity in his fights, as he conserves his energy so he does not fade later in the bout. Gabe’s Thoughts: I like Lombard early in this fight, but I think Hendricks is also capable of finishing it early. Over the course of three rounds, I still favor Lombard. However, I think the Total of Under 1.5 rounds at +174 holds more value than Lombard at -125, as I think he ends this fight early more often than not, and vice versa. Gabe’s Call: Lombard by T/KO (punches, 1:22 round 1) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Under 1.5 rounds (+174) All of my content and plays are free. Your support is greatly appreciated. 
