Daily Poll Nashville Special: Gilbert Melendez goes to war against Shinya Aoki, who is your pick?

I can't wait for this fight. Not a big Melendez fan but I really want to see Aoki fight in the states.

melendez will KO aoki! put 1 million dollars on it! those chumps r only good in japan where half the fighters r on roids or half the fights are fixed. u watch melendez will make aoki look like an chump in this fight!

I take that bet...

Damn it give your bank account I will make sure I will deposit your money by feb. the 30th.

thats a sick picture.... but ya this is going to be a very fast but technical fight, im hoping Aoki worked on his striking more because Melendez is very well rounded, we all know Aoki is a phenom on the ground with 14/23 wins coming by submission, really cant say who is going to win because really they are both even, that being said ill be rooting for Shinya Aoki

I don't really care who's going to win this fight, but I'm definitely going to be watching.

Yup.

I really have no idea. Aoki will be a fish out of water in a cage and without his disco pants. So it's hard to say. This is my favorite fight on the card though.

It will be a very interesting fight and will answer a lot of questions surrounding Aoki, I do think this could go either way but I'd put my money on Aoki easily.

Aoki by nasty bone break

I really don't think the pants are going to be that much of an issue. Knowing this fight was coming under unified rules, do you really think he hasn't been training nothing but shorts since the contract was signed? Plus we could see him do the George Sotiropolis and use long ankle bandages, knee pads and knee-length tight shorts. You can get near full leg coverage using legal gear.



Melendez's strongest position comes concurrent to Aoki's, ie. In someone's guard and with someone in the guard, respectively. Except Aoki is better off his back than Melendez is on top. Aoki's gonna triangle him when Gilbert throws a right that goes a bit too deep.

Im going with Gilbert, I think his stand up, and Ceasar Gracie background will help him alot, the fight starts standing where Gilbert is stronger, than Aoki. He needs to be carefull though one mistake, and Aoki will sub him.

i think gilbert can pull this off but it's no easy task. gilbert has a lot of good jiu jitsu guy's to work with at cesar gracie's, but aoki is pretty damn good. when he get's a hold, he doesn't let go and he constantly put pressure to make the hold tighter. if gilbert can stay outta his subs, he should be able to pound on his face and maybe gain some respect from the non believers. gilbert has been in the top ten for years, but doesn't get his due cause he hasn't fought for dana.

Hmm, hard to say... but I'm gonna put all my money on Gilbert Aoki.