Hector Lombard, Judo Olympian Turned MMA Fighter, Signs With EliteXC

This is Hector "Shango" Lombard beating James Te Huna in an Australian MMA fight last year:

Lombard, who was an Olympian in judo for Cuba before emigrating to Australia and switching to mixed martial arts, has just signed a contract with EliteXC, whose president, Gary Shaw, said this in a statement:

"I am delighted to make it official that Hector has signed with us. He is an elite athlete, no doubt about that, and he was very sought-after, so for us, this is a very strong acquisition.

"Fans are in for a real treat. Hector is one of the most talented and explosive fighters I've ever seen. There may not be any other fighter in his divisions with more explosive strength and athleticism. He is a real crowd-pleasing fighter. It is unreal how he delivers those judo throws and power slams.

I think it's important to highlight what great athletes MMA professionals are. People who dislike MMA go out of their way to act as though the competitors are not legitimate athletes, but the fact is that many of them are Olympians, NCAA champions, and others with strong backgrounds in other sports. Lombard was a great amateur athlete in judo and is now a great professional athlete in MMA.