Tim Boetsch put a spanner in the works in Hector Lombard’s big debut at UFC 149, defeating him by split decision, but really Lombard was largely to blame for his own downfall after putting in a lethargic performance.
Surprsingly it’s Boetsch who strikes first, firing off a couple of leg kicks from a safe distance, before Lombard retaliates with big punches which don’t find their mark.
Boetsch lookes for a takedown but it’s stuffed and shortly afterwards Lombard shows him how it’s done by almost effortlessly tossing him to the floor. He follows him to the mat, but isn’t able to keep him down for long.
Lombard’s actually pacing himself more than he usually does in this fight. He lands a few nice shots, but he’s not bull-rushing his opponent and Boetsch is absorbing the strikes so far quite comfortably while also continuing to land a few leg kicks of his own in return.
Curious strategy from Lombard, and it’s one that he continues to employ in the second, standing in front of Boetsch but not really taking the fight to him with his trademark urgency and aggression.
It’s very similar stuff to the first round with Lombard landing some nice punches occasionally, but Boetsch also getting a few leg kicks in too so it’s not an easy one to score.
Lombard does finally manage to hurt Boetsch though with a kick to the body that has him wincing in pain and backing off rapidly. Boetsch goes down to his knees and Lombard’s on top, but while this seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to really unleash, he’s still fighting at a measured pace and therefore doesn’t take full advantage of the situation.
Boetsch eats a few ground and pound strikes, but is given enough time in-between to recover from the kick and then rallies up to his feet and fires off a couple of quick knees as the round comes to an end.
Lombard was being touted as a potential title challenger for Anderson Silva if he could get a big win over Boetsch tonight, but unless he picks things up it’s hard to see that happening as this is a rather lethargic performance so far.
Unfortunately he doesn’t seem in any hurry to step it up a gear in the third despite boos ringing out from the Calgary fans and so it turns out to be a relative copy-cat of the previous 10 minutes.
To be fair it takes two to tango and Boetsch isn’t exactly fighting up a storm either. He seems a little busier overall though, even if often it is still just those leg kicks that are landing for the most part.
Boetsch looks to change things up with a takedown, but it’s stuffed. Soon after Lombard looks for one of his own, but Boetsch gets on top before they scramble to their feet again.
They clinch up against the cage and Lombard is able to grab ahold of Boetsch and land a big takedown, though ‘The Barbarian’ does a nice job of immediately getting out from under him and stands up.
The round ends with Boetsch getting off a few knee strikes and both men raise their hands as the final bell sounds and the crowd voices their disproval at what they’ve just witnessed.
It’s a tough fight to score given the relative lack of offense from both men. It results in a split decision verdict being handed out and it’s Boetsch who’s been given the nod by two judges (29-28 x2, 28-29), upsetting Lombard’s UFC debut.
