Bellator and CFC 185lbs. champ "Shango" Hector Lombard is slated to take on "TUF" alum Jesse Taylor in the September 3 main event at AFC 2. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)
Australian Fighting Championship is making their sophomore effort, AFC 2: Lombard vs. Taylor, a bomb blast with the newly minted AFC Middleweight Championship belt up for grabs in the main event. The September 3 card, though very much still in the building process, is slated to feature a marquis match-up between Bellator and CFC Middleweight Champion “Shango” Hector Lombard (27-2) and TUF 7 alum “JT Money” Jesse Taylor (14-5).
Jesse Taylor is riding a three-fight win streak and is fresh off a first-round submission victory over PRIDE, Spirit MC, and UFC veteran Denis Kang (35-13). He has been a very busy man since his lone bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, providing several promotions including Strikeforce and MFC his fighting services and racking up a 10-3 record in less than three years. “JT Money” has proven his penchant for the ground game, earning the bulk of his wins via submission, but will have his hands full when stepping in the ring opposite multi-promotion champ Hector Lombard.
Lombard owns the world’s current longest win streak with 16 consecutive victories since his Draw against UFC middleweight “KO” Kyle Noke (19-5) in July 2007 and is perhaps the most talked about 185lbs. fighter that doesn’t call the UFC his home. Aside from being regarded as a top ten fighter by much of the MMA community, “Shango” is well known for his finishing power with 16 TKOs and seven submissions to his credit; he has seen the judges only seven times in his professional career. Lombard is fighting on his adopted home turf for the third time in the past 18 months in what will also mark his debut in the Australian Fighting Championship.
MMA Gospel will post more updates on the fight card as match-ups are confirmed.
