Lombard Faces Prangley in Non-Title Headliner at Bellator 58

Hector Lombard tries to push his unbeaten streak to 24 in a row at Bellator 58. | Photo: Dave Mandel

Going down Nov. 19 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., the event is also expected to feature the final of Bellator’s latest middleweight tournament. Additionally, Shooto 183-pound South American champion Carlos Alexandre Pereira will likely make his Bellator debut at the show. The event’s main draw will air on MTV2 and Epix, while the prelims are expected to be streamed live on Spike.com.

Lombard has not lost since 2006, and the only blemish on the heavy-handed Cuban’s record in the last five years is a 2007 draw with Kyle Noke. After capturing the middleweight belt of Australia’s Cage Fighting Championship, Lombard went on to win Bellator’s inaugural 185-pound tournament in 2009, becoming the Chicago-based promotion’s first middleweight champion -- a distinction he has yet to relinquish. The 33-year-old has competed thrice in 2011 thus far, finishing Joe Doerksen, Falaniko Vitale and Jesse Taylor.

Conversely, 39-year-old Prangley has lost three of his last four. The South African’s last appearance in the UFC came in 2006 when he was outpointed by Chael Sonnen at UFC Fight Night 4, bringing his Octagon record to an even 2-2.

More recently, Prangley has competed in Strikeforce and Dream, earning a split nod over fellow UFC vet Keith Jardine, his lone win in his last four outings. His recent losses have come to Tim Kennedy, Roger Gracie and Tatsuya Mizuno; Prangley was finished by all three men in the last 16 months.