Hector Lombard free agent in April , Dana makes comment

Over the course of two years, Hector Lombard (31-2-1 MMA, 8-0 BFC) fought eight times for Bellator Fighting Championships, won the promotion's middleweight title and became one of its biggest stars.

But Lombard's contract is now expired, and he could hit the open market in spring.

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney today confirmed that Lombard is in the midst of an exclusive negotiating period with the promotion. A source close to negotiations tells lawyers for Bellator and its parent company Viacom are negotiating with Lombard and his camp as the term winds down.

When it expires in late April, Lombard will enter a matching period where he can take offers from other promoters. In turn, Bellator, who has said the term expires in May, can match them within 30 days. Depending on who you ask, the length of that term runs a year or indefinitely. However, Bellator gets only one opportunity to match a particular offer.

Lombard's current standing doesn't bind him to the promotion. While his original contract was extended in late 2010, his so called "champion's clause" ran it's course by Jan. 31 of this year. So if Bellator is unable to secure the champ by late April, the bidding begins.

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Lombard splits time between South Florida and Sydney, where he emigrated after representing his native Cuba at the 2000 Olympic Games. He most recently fought at Bellator 58, where he notched a second-round TKO over veteran Trevor Prangley in a non-title catchweight bout at 195 pounds.

The question, now, for Bellator – and Lombard's suitors – is how much he's worth. The champ has knocked out virtually all of the competition in a promotion most consider subordinate to the UFC. He has, in fact, already brushed shoulders with the big show. He was scheduled to fight at UFC 78 in November 2007, though visa issues kept him from making his octagon debut.

But he was 29 years old then, and at 34, he's nearing the end of his athletic peak. So there's a limited time to cash in on his current value.

"I've had lots of guys go from other organizations into the UFC," said manager Monte Cox, whose former client, former lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez, is also nearing the tail end of his current contract. "I've never been in a position where the organization we're leaving really has the money to compete with the UFC. So that's what makes this so interesting.

"If Bellator really wants these guys – and I'm sure they would like to keep them – that puts the UFC in a tough position. Because if they offer up something that's average, Bellator certainly will match it. I'm interested from a manager's perspective on what kind of offer the UFC will make to get these guys that Bellator can't match."

While it's unknown what measure of financial support Bellator parent company Viacom offers in getting and keeping fighters, the promotion's pockets may have deepened considerably since it was purchased by the media giant this past October.

The challenge, then, for any potential Lombard suitors is making an offer that's competitive, but one that still allows the promotion to make money. Because a drawn out bidding war isn't an option, making that offer is a calculated risk that incorporates a bet on how much Bellator is willing to match.

"It's a tough deal for the UFC," Cox said. "They can't just open up the bank. At some point, they could choose to just offer a pretty good chunk and force Bellator to pay it, almost driving up the price."

Rebney acknowledged that crunch time is almost here for the middleweight champ.

"I think he's the best middleweight in the world," he said. "We're trying to work dynamics with him (and) see if we can put a deal together. If we can't put a deal together, he'll be able to go out to the open market and talk to the UFC, and if he gets an offer, we have the right to match it.

"So it's going to come down to a business decision for him. He's a tremendous, tremendously talented athlete. He's at his peak; he's at his prime. As a fan with my CEO hat off, I think Hector Lombard is the best middleweight in mixed martial arts. So we would obviously like to have him continue to fight here, and if we're not able to come to an agreement, he'll go and get other offers and then we'll make a decision whether we're going to match those offers or let him go."

 

Bellator cant match the UFC middle tier wages , therefore its pretty much a given

If Lombard wants in , he's in !!!

Exciting news

 

Yes

Middle tier wages , 6 figure paydays

base salary of around 100K , plus any bonuses , plus his gate and PPV percentage , will probably net around 150K give or take even if he loses , plus the perks of being in the UFC (financial perks) undisclosed bonuses , signing fee's etc

 

Thats it

He wins a fight or 2 , and before he knows it he's netted half a million over a 3 fight deal