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**_RIVAL_** · 01-06-2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

- MELENDEZ VOWS 2009 RETURN, WANTS ISHIDA
Friday, January 02, 2009 - by Mick Hammond - MMAWeekly.com

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Even the best fighters can go through a rough patch.

Regardless of stature in the sport, no one is immune from stumbling occasionally. It’s rebounding from that rough patch that truly separates a top tier fighter from the rest. This is the current conundrum for Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez.

Formerly the Strikeforce lightweight champion and top-ranked fighter in multiple weight classes, Melendez now finds himself with two losses in his last three fights, looking for a way back to prominence.

“The year as a whole was an okay year for me,” he said of 2008. “It wasn’t the best, but now that it’s the end of the year I’m feeling great and looking forward to 2009.”

After losing his first time ever, to Mitsuhiro Ishida on New Year’s Eve 2007, Melendez split his fights in 2008, defeating an overmatched Gabe Lemley in March, and losing his Strikeforce title to Josh Thomson in June.

“I got caught up in the stand-up game a lot,” he commented. “I feel confident with my stand-up and everything, but to progress in this sport sometimes you have to neglect something.

“I feel like I neglected my wrestling, and it showed out there. I got taken down a lot against Ishida and against Josh, too. I thought I could have prepared better, and I could I have done better in structuring my fights, but I felt like I always went out and gave it my best.”

Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez is still young and has competed against some solid fighters. I think he'll continue to improve.

There is alot more to the interview. Melendez has alot of potential and excluding his Thompson outing he is an impressive fighter.

He has an impressive aggression and is always improving. I'd love to see him get more exposure and harder fights in 2009......

read more........http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/...7849&zoneid=13

e-thug · 01-06-2009, 01:42 PM

Man its gonna be hard pressed for him to live until 20089...

In all seriousness it was a bit of a bad year for Melendez, I think he is still a good prospect and could find himself back in the mixer as top 10 lw for 09'.

**_RIVAL_** · 01-06-2009, 03:23 PM

I didn't see their first fight.

I'd love to see him and Ishida go at it.

Arlovski_Fan · 01-06-2009, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.P.

I didn't see their first fight.

I'd love to see him and Ishida go at it.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3x...ro-ishid_sport

It's worth the watch, its a pretty decent fight.

**Wise** · 01-06-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.P.

I didn't see their first fight.

I'd love to see him and Ishida go at it.

Ishida essentially Clay Guida'd him. Didnt really do any damage but was just constantly going for take downs and out worked Gilbert. I enjoyed the fight though.

Gilbert needs to kind of get away from his striking, he should have been going for a lot more take downs against Thompson, whose a much more technical striker.

I still really like Gilbert although he beat my boy Kawajiri. That fight was in my top 5 of 2006. So sweet.

**_RIVAL_** · 01-06-2009, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlovski_Fan

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3x...ro-ishid_sport

It's worth the watch, its a pretty decent fight.

Thanks for the link, Gilbert was pretty much controlled on the ground there. He def needs a better gameplan this time around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wise

Ishida essentially Clay Guida'd him. Didnt really do any damage but was just constantly going for take downs and out worked Gilbert. I enjoyed the fight though.

Gilbert needs to kind of get away from his striking, he should have been going for a lot more take downs against Thompson, whose a much more technical striker.

Watching Melendez get outworked like that is painful. I'm looking forward to their rematch.

He did in fact fight a dumb fight against Josh Thompson. "The Punk" is always impressive when he steps into a cage. I really would've liked to see the rematch between him and Yves.

I think Josh would've took that one back.

**JT42** · 01-06-2009, 04:53 PM

Strikeforce could certainly put on some great LW matches in 2009. I say let Thomson and Yves rematch and then the winner of the Melendez/Ishida rematch gets a title shot.

**_RIVAL_** · 01-07-2009, 12:44 AM

Strikeforce technically pulled Edwards from the EXC roster, if they are still doing so than.....damn they could pit "El Nino" against....Edwards, "Hurricane" Huen, Alvarez, Noons, or damn a fun fight to watch would be between him and Douglas.

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