Rory MacDonald vs. Hector Lombard ‘Almost’ Official For April’s UFC 186 From Montreal

After his convincing knockout victory over former Strikeforce champ Tarec Saffiedine in the main event of UFC Fight Night 54, No. 2-ranked welterweight Rory MacDonald was finally promised a long-awaited title shot in his native Canada.

However, when Robbie Lawler beat former champion Johny Hendricks for the belt in another five-round war at December’s UFC 181, a window opened up for “Ruthless” and “Bigg Rigg” to settle their rivalry once and for all with an upcoming grudge match.

That left MacDonald out in the cold, but it didn’t take long for him to find a new opponent. No. 6-ranked Hector Lombard, who just beat Josh Burkman at last Saturday’s (January 3, 2015) UFC 182, called out for a bout with “The Red King” afterward.

And according to a report from Vendetta Fighter, Lombard has gotten his wish, as he will meet MacDonald at April 25’s UFC 186 pay-per-view (PPV) from the Bell Centre in Montreal.

The fight, which is presumed to be an obvious title eliminator, has not been officially announced by the UFC as of right now. Lombard was contacted by MMA Fighting and confirmed that he was indeed facing MacDonald, adding that “it should be” the main event.

There’s also speculation that the main event could be Lawler vs. Hendricks III, which would create a welterweight showcase similar to those Montreal has hosted during native son Georges St. Pierre’s illustrious reign as champion.

Stay tuned to LowKick MMA for developing news on UFC 186 as it develops.

Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports