New UFC signee Hector Lombard out to take UFC Title from Anderson Silva

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Hector Lombard will make his long-awaited debut in the UFC this summer, but the Bellator Middleweight Champion isn't looking to be just another fighter on the roster. On the contrary, Lombard wants one thing and one thing only: to take the UFC Middleweight Title from Anderson Silva.

"I want to be UFC middleweight champion, and I want to fight Anderson Silva to do it," Lombard said in an interview with MMAJunkie.com. "I have such respect for him as a fighter. It would be an honor and a dream come true to test my skills against his."

Lombard has spent the last several years atop Bellator's middleweight division, and has been unbeaten in his last 25 fights dating back to 2007. It was in that year that the UFC pursued bringing him in initially, but he had issues obtaining a visa and was unable to debut at that time. Now, he's just excited to be where he's always wanted to fight.

"I've wanted to fight in the UFC all my career," Lombard said. "I wouldn't be in the UFC if I didn't think I could win the UFC world title."

Penick's Analysis: Lombard's got to win at least one fight before the UFC will put him into a title fight, and he may need two wins before they'll put him there. Still, it's good to hear a fighter leave no question as to who he wants to fight, and he'll be doing everything he can to work towards that title shot.

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