Cuban-Australian Mixed Martial Artist Hector Lombard will likely have his career on the line in January, with the UFC announcing he will take on American Brad Tavares at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

Lombard moved to the Gold Coast after competing in judo at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and after a stellar career in other organisations – including a 24-fight unbeaten streak – he signed with the UFC in 2012.

The elevation of Denver's Pepsi Center could be a problem for Hector Lombard. Credit:Steve Marcus

He lost two of his first three middleweight bouts with the UFC before dropping down to welterweight and for a while it seemed like Lombard would be able to make a run at the title.

However a no contest over Josh Burkman, followed by a TKO loss to Neil Magny in Brisbane this year when his notoriously unreliable cardio failed him, force Lombard back up to middleweight.