Recently signed to the UFC after steamrolling opponents in Bellator Fighting Championships for two years, Lombard could find himself challenging for a title belt if he beats Brian Stann, said UFC President Dana White. That would give Lombard one of the fastest paths to a UFC title for any athlete since Brock Lesnar in 2008.
"When you talk about cleaning out a division, there's always another guy who comes up, even for a guy like Anderson," White said Thursday. "We just brought in Lombard. (If) Lombard beats Stann. … that (title) fight makes sense."
Lombard can't count on anything yet. Stann's punching power, movement and array of strikes suggest he will be a more formidable opponent than any of Lombard's previous foes. But Stann also has never faced anyone with Lombard's combination of knockout ability and grappling acumen -- before going into MMA, the ex-Bellator champ's judo skills won him several national titles in Cuba and a spot in the 2000 Olympics.
