Jul 13, 2011 - 6:30:45 PM

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

*Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard wants to fight Nate Marquardt, and he's going to keep pushing for it until he gets it.

Earlier this week in an interview with Sherdog.com, Lombard went on the offensive, following the lead of fellow Bellator Champion Ben Askren.

"I want to show everybody what I'm capable of doing. I just want to fight that guy bad," Lombard said. "Ben Askren said it all. I think [Marquardt] is a cheater, but [against] me, he can take all the drugs he wants. I'm going to whoop his ass anyway."

Lombard claimed that Marquardt had turned down an immediate title shot against him, a claim that was shot down and not believable anyway with Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney's stern stance that title shots are only earned by winning tournaments in the organization. Still, with Marquardt's suspension being lifted today by the PSAC, Lombard again called Marquardt out for a fight in the organization.

In a video message posted to YouTube, Lombard stated "I'm very happy that your suspension has been lifted, so now it's no excuses anymore again, and let's make this fight happen, brother."

If Marquardt signs with Bellator and stays in the middleweight division, this fight can certainly be made, but Lombard's title would not be on the line.

Penick's Analysis: This would be the biggest and most legitimate fight Lombard has taken in years, and it's not even close, so it's no wonder he's calling for it. Marquardt has been a perennial top five fighter, and Lombard is battling for the respect as one of the top fighters in the world. Despite his lengthy winning streak and a lot of success overall in his career, his level of competition isn't up to speed with the rest of the division, and that has not allowed him to break into the top 10 on the rankings of many. If Marquardt signs with Bellator, it will be a very legitimate "super fight" for Bellator as an organization, but the title wouldn't be up for grabs.

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