Jorge Masvidal: Yoel Romero, Hector Lombard 'would rather die' than lose

After years of tension, Yoel Romero and Hector Lombard will finally step in the cage for pride and bragging rights.

Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion will host the light heavyweight grudge match in the main event of its May 1 show at Unrivaled Arena in Miami (YouTube), and it's a fight year in the making between former American Top Team gym members.

Some fights are billed as grudge matches when it's not entirely the case. According to Masvidal, the beef between Romero (16-7) and Lombard (34-11-1) is as legit as it gets.

"They will not give an inch to each other in a situation," Masvidal told MMA Junkie. "If there's one Coca-Cola left, they're scraping for. That goes for any situation. They won't give an inch to each other. Not only are they highly competitive from each other, but they're from Cuba, they have similar background. They just won't concede. I know them both fairly well and they would rather die than lose to the other guy.

"If you told him, 'You beat him, but you end up in the hospital three minutes later of a heart attack.' They'd be like, 'Sign me up. I'm going to do it.' I'm not just promotion. The willingness not to lose to each other for each guy means the world. That's why it wasn't the hardest fight to make, but it was also a very interesting fight to make. Both of them already knew what this implies and what's at stake and what's on the line. We took a big risk there and it's going to pay off."

Although both men are 48 and past their prime years, Romero and Lombard remain physical specimens and typically power is the last thing to go as combat sports athletes age.

Masvidal expects a true fight in the upcoming contest, and only one will be left standing.

"Let's bring them back to MMA and their roots where they were known worldwide and let's see what happens," Masvidal said. "Max violence. Step on the gas and keep it there."

To hear more from Masvidal, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Jorge Masvidal details severity of Yoel Romero vs. Hector Lombard beef