Hector Lombard is Signing with the UFC

[EmpireWF]

Bjorn Rebney confirmed saying Bellator chose not to match the UFC's offer to Lombard which must have included some kind of PPV bonus.

They will vacate the belt.

http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/2012/4/24/2972492/bjorn-rebney-confirms-hector-lombard-is-ufc-bound

Lombard to the UFC!

[Liquidrob]

This is why the 'season champs' idea works better for bellator

Once the win the season, they have to compete in next years and maybe they can leave after that or howevere they work it out, It's better than you 'champ' leaving if the season champ tag is on them, makes it work better year to year

Bjorn, call me

[Liquidrob]

It just makes sense to have season champs at this point, Bellator guys are generally younger, they can fight 3 times a year, once they become a champ they are only getting 1 or 2 fights a year. They need to keep these guys in a rotation, make it more like a sport, every year the same team doesnt win the super bowl, fighting can be the same

It shows guys improve if they lose one season and go on a run in the next, if a guy leaves like Lombard than oh well, we have 8 more guys fighting for the 'season champ title next year. It works out so much better for a promotion like Bellator this way

[Warner2BruceTD]

Lombard to the UFC!

Not sure why you are happy about this. Once again, what's good for UFC is not always what's good for the sport.

[EmpireWF]

I want to see Lombard fight other top 185ers. The odds of that happening in Bellator are slim.

In the fall, we'll see them crown a new champion and they'll move on.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I would prefer to see Bellator retain their stars because we need more viable promotions to keep the sport strong.

With that said, Lombard is getting old and it was probably a good business decision to let him walk.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Lombard gets a PPV cut, but only if he co-main or main events.

Rebney could not match those terms because Bellator does not expect to run PPV's in the foreseeable future.

UFC will probably offer Eddie Alvarez the same type of deal, but since he refuses to enter tournaments, I don't mind if he goes anyway.

[EmpireWF]

That's the only logical explanation for Bellator being unable to match the offer..PPV $$$.

If it's true about only as a co-main or main eventer...expect his debut to be an undercard fight before he gets up there.