BY Michael Owens
A high-stakes welterweight fight has been added to the main card of UFC 171.
In a fight that could have serious title implications, Jake Shields and Hector Lombard will face off in the welterweight division.
The two fighters are the the former middleweight champions of Strikeforce and Bellator respectively dropped to 170 pounds this year after underwhelming runs at middleweight.
They came into the UFC with a lot of fanfare, but many fans and commentators doubted their long-term futures as contenders after inconsistent runs in the promotion.
However, they have started to show signs of promise recently. Shields travelled to enemy territory in October and took a well-earned decision victory against Demian Maia in a fight many expected him to lose. That extended his unbeaten streak to four fights and re-established him as a big threat at 170 pounds.
Lombard dropped down a weight class this year and looked spectacular in his decimation of Nate Marquardt at UFC 166, also in October.
WIth the UFC welterweight division in limbo thanks to the GSP/Hendricks saga, the door in open for one of these men to make a serious leap in the rankings.
Two other fights were also announced for UFC 171 at the weekend.
Thiago Silva is now set to fight Ovince St. Preux at light heavyweight.
Joining them will be TUF alums Robert ‘Bubba’ McDaniel and Tor Troeng will square off in the middleweight division.
UFC 171 is set to take place on March 15 and is due to be headlined by Jon Jones’s defence of the 205 pound belt against Glover Teixeira.
