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Palhares was originally scheduled to return to action last month in a bout against Yushin Okami, but an injury forced him out of the event. He hopes to bounce back from a loss to Alan Belcher in May at UFC on Fox 5.
Lombard hopes to make a better second impression to UFC fans after a very poor debut at UFC 149. The 34-year-old Cuban-Australian had his six-year, 25-fight unbeaten streak snapped on that card in Calgary against Tim Boetsch in a plodding, heavily criticized performance, and he'll be out to show fans a bit more of his game on Dec. 14.
The event comes the night before another fight card on FX, The Ultimate Fighter Fridays Finale from Las Vegas, which will feature the conclusion of the upcoming season's welterweight tournament, which kicks off next Friday on FX.
Penick's Analysis: This is likely to hold the finals of "TUF: The Smashes," the Team U.K. vs. Team Australia international edition of The Ultimate Fighter which begins this month as well. Though it hasn't been announced as such yet, this card will likely be filled with fighters from that season, along with the coaches bout between Ross Pearson and George Sotiropoulos. As for this fight, it's a fantastic bit of matchmaking for the UFC. Both fighters are of similar stature in the division, meaning both are on the shorter, stockier end of fighters competing at 185 lbs. Lombard is vicious with his striking game when it gets going, while Palhares has a reputation as a limb collector for his vicious submission game, and this should be a really fun fight in Australia. Of course, we thought the same of Lombard's last bout, so we won't be getting our hopes up this time around.
[Hector Lombard photo (c) Henry Dziekan III]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_14318.shtml
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