UFC welterweight Hector Lombard is fighting Neil Magny at UFC Fight Night 85 and is happy to be returning to his adopted homeland of Australia.

But he’s headed back knowing another matchup eluded him. A bout with Rory MacDonald, once scheduled for UFC 186 and then targeted by UFC President Dana White, was scrapped when the recent title challenger demurred at the matchup, he told MMAjunkie.

“I want to fight him, and I think the UFC wanted to make that fight happen – he’s the one that doesn’t want it,” Lombard said after conducting a seminar at London’s Titan Fighter academy. “He’s the one who doesn’t want to fight.”

UFC Fight Night 85 takes place March 20 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The event’s main card airs live on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

Ahead of his fight with Magny (17-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Lombard (34-4-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) stopped short of calling MacDonald (18-3 MMA, 9-3) scared, but said the Canadian welterweight was picking and choosing opponents.

“He’s just taking the best options to get back on track again,” Lombard said. “He knows I’m a bad matchup for him, and he knows I hit hard.

“I wouldn’t call it scared. I would call it smart.”

However, MacDonald’s coach at Tristar Gym in Montreal, Firas Zahabi, told MMAjunkie via text message today that MacDonald did not turn down a fight with Lombard.

MacDonald and Lombard were formally scheduled to meet this past April at UFC 186, but the matchup was pulled when Lombard was suspended after a positive steroid test following a decision over Josh Burkman at UFC 182.

MacDonald went on to challenge for the title this past July at UFC 189 and was knocked out by champ Robbie Lawler in a “Fight of the Year” candidate. While he welcomed a meeting with Lombard three months after his fight with Lawler, he remains unbooked.

Although Lombard’s suspension prevented him from cornering teammate Valerie Letourneau at this past November’s UFC 193, he was cleared to compete in January. The UFC booked him opposite Magny, who’s won nine of his past 10 bouts at welterweight.

“I think he’s quite a good fighter,” Lombard said. “He gained a lot of experience lately, and he’s in the top 10. But I’m a better fighter, and I’m going to prove it.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 85, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.