Gilbert Melendez: I've done more than Ben Henderson, and could smash Anthony Pettis

I hope we'll see some UFC lightweights going in Strikeforce. Not to stay there because obviously it would be better to keep the best fighters in the UFC but only to go challenge to champ.

But after the fighter beats Melendez than he is stuck there fighting extremely lower competition.

Unless it's Frankie or Gray they probably won't beat Gil.



Actually, Gray as the SF LW champ sounds pretty good right now, doesn't it?

Sure were a lot of people against Melendez., I hope sometime this coming year that Cesar's camp has 2 title holders. Not that anyone heard me the first time. They were too busy yelling how Melendez will lose 8P

He is a great fighter but I see Ben Henderson taking him out.

MASVIDAL ISNT TOP TEN ...PETTIS WOULD BEAT GILBERT IN EVERY AREA AND HES BEAT REAL TOP TEN GUYS LIKE BENDO....I WANA SEE HIM FIGHT GREY MAYNARD BUT PERSONALLY I THINK ALOT OF GUYS CAN BEAT GILBERT

Exactly. He can pound his chest all he wants, but decisions over sub top tier opponents will only ensure he stays in the minor leagues for a long time.

Gil, and Masivadal for that matter, would both be successful in the UFC. If you've followed MMA for more than a month, you'd realize Gil is a legitimate top 3 LW and has the resume to prove it.

OMG Capital letters.

Just because you say he is doesn't make it so, no matter how many times you type it. But like Gil, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, even when you are dead wrong.

This is all subjective of course, but if you do your history, you'll realize he has more wins against top 10 opponents than almost every other lightweight. Think of a top LW in the UFC, then ask yourself how many top 10 opponents they have beaten. Casual fans just assume top 10 fighters in the UFC have been beating other top 10 fighters consistently, when in fact, alot of them have ONE top 10 win and a bunch of wins against mid-tier opponents. LW is a deep division, and there is alot of telnted 155'ers out there.

Subjective yes, and you are certainly entitled to your opinion just as I am to differ from your. I just tend to stay away from personal attacks when an opinion surfaces that differs from my own. You . . . not so much.



Regarding your support of Gil being top level, I see you rely on stale MMA math; I don't. The reasons I think he's NOT top three, even top ten, are stated by others below.

They're just not that valid of reasons, nor do they make much sense.



.. And where did he personally attack you?

No point in having a discussion if you think Gil doesn't belong in the top 10. That's a very unreasonable stance.

You're right, he is top 10- don't know what I was thinking (brain fart). I stand by the other comments. Too busy to type coherently when I posted that!

melendez is so overrated right now people actually have him a top 10 P4P fighter. The man is a great fighter but he hasnt beaten any top 10 guys...

That's exactly what so many pro-Gil folks don't seem to understand.



Let's look at Bendo's last three fights:

Mark Bocek; Jim Miller (broke his seven-fight win streak, had only ever lost to Maynard and Edgar before); Clay Guida (broke his four-fight streak and ruined shot at title.).



Now take a look at Gil's:

Shinya Aoki (can't fight wrestlers; can't fight in a cage); Tatsuya Kawajiri (overrated so that Japan had something to believe in); Jorge Masvidal (who?).



Who has done more?



Ben Henderson is undoubtedly higher-ranked than Gil and has proven himself more recently against much higher-level competition. Ridiculous, Gil is starting to sound like Eddie Alvarez did in 2010.

Griffin- Hasn't beaten any top ten fighters? Really?



So Josh Thomson wasn't top ten? Kawajiri wasn't top ten? Aoki wasn't top 2?



C'mon man, he might not be the best LW in the world like he's tring to portray himself to be, but he is the definite #2 guy in the division.

Unless you still have Gray as #2. Which would be valid.

The guys been Champ in Strikeforce for more than a week man.

Hes on a win streak, hes still winning. They just need to bring him over. No-one becomes number one without fighting harder comp and learning from it. Bens already in the UFC and the fact you have to convince others of Bens win shows he needs to be there testing himself and others.

I have a feeling we'll see Gilbert sign a contract in the next couple of months.

Hahahaha Ben Henderson? The guys he beat that are top tier are Jim Miller (Not a single win over a top ten opponent), and Clay Guida (One win over a top ten opponent, and got destroyed by Kenny Florian about a year and a half ago). Other than that it's Mark Bocek, Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone. None top 15 let alone top ten (Cowboy is borderline ten now, not when they fought).



Ben Henderson is the most overrated fighter in the world right now. He got beat handily by Pettis, and would probably lose to 6 or 7 guys in the world right now.

I agree.......



i like Ben but he is overrated....

Beat handily by Pettis? Please man, that was as close a fight as there could be. Jamie Varner and Cerrone are some pretty amazing fighters actually and he not only beat Miller but destroyed him unlike the way you seem to think Pettis handled Benson. Clay put on a performance that had everyone gunning for him to be the next champ until Ben came along. Ben has to prove yet that he is the best but he most certainly is not overrated like maybe your number 4 lightweight Aoki is who can't beat anyone that can do more than grapple. Everyone thought Cerrone was too much and then Varner was too much and then cerrone would win the 2nd fight and then they finally started to believe in him right when he had a close fight with pettis everyone fell off his support again until he stopped miller like a school boy and then beat the other contender for the belt Clay. Nobody thought Frankie was good enough with his wins and one loss either but then we were proved. Ben will make Frankies fight a nightmare.

Nobody in there right mind thought Clay Guida could be champ. Sure he had some support, because he excites people but he's got nothing on the top tier of the division. He's a good wrestler with great cardio. The UFC was pushing him, just liked they pushed Guillard, just liked they pushed Miller, just liked they pushed Dunham, just like they pushed Sotiropolous, and just like they are pushing Ben now.



Jim Miller was on a tear against inferior competition. His "great" win streak in the UFC consisted of not one top ten fighter. He was being overrated, and Ben stopped that hype.



Anthony Pettis should have won a wide decision against Ben henderson. That fight wasn't nearly as close as you and some others think. All Ben did was get a few takedowns, and keep control for a little while. However, all it was good enough to do was win one round. Pettis won four rounds, then knocked him down with a highlight kick at the end. He won handily, and sadly had he not landed that kick could've gotten completely screwed on the scorecards.



Aoki would be a hell of a match up for Ben, because Ben likes to put his neck (and other body parts) in bad scenarios to advance his own position. Aoki has the squeeze and grip strength to Ben to sleep or break his appendages when he makes those mistakes.



Ben will be completely demolished by edgar, and his hype train will go down the drain.

Aoki is very talented on the ground but it's laughable to think he could get Ben down there. Ben would then pick him apart. To have Aoki at 4 is rediculous man. there is nobody in the division that can walk through Ben Henderson. Aokis skill on the the feet are about as good as my 13 year old sisters he would be slapped around in the UFC. Ben has showed more improvement than pettis as well and would be the favourite in a rematch. He underestimated Pettis in the first fight and thought it was a shoe in and I can gaurantee he wouldn't let that happen again. Ben defeated Clay and Pettis had nothing for Clay. Ben will go farther than Pettis because the top guys in the division have wrestling on their side just like Ben who can fight that skill. Ben will win or lose show he belongs in the top teir ranks. Ben isn't making mistakes when getting into those positions he just allows them when he feels he can take their best choke, Aoki would never get the chance to try.

Dropping knowledge lol. Those are facts people!

No having him at #4 isn't ridiculous, and to think that Aoki couldn't pull guard or create a scramble to get him to the ground isn't realistic. Aoki beat opponents ranked highly over a long period of time to keep that spot. His only loss over the last 2 and a half years is to Melendez, I don't put that exhibition loss into the rankings discussion. Do I think that Aoki would beat him? No. I don't conduct rankings that way. Do I think that there is a time in the fight where a scramble could happen, and they could end up on the ground? Absolutely. And if/when that happens Ben (who uses his wrestling very well) could easily put himself in a position where he thinks he is safe, and give up an arm or his neck. Ben is a good striker, but he's not top notch. He made it to where he is on his wrestling/scrambling ability. However, his striking should be enough to take out Shinya on the feet.



I wouldn't put much stock into both of their showings against Guida. Styles make fights, and their little triangle is a great way to highlight that. The way Guida fights is a nightmare for Pettis: Good blast double, good control once on top, likes to stay in guard, and is very good at avoiding submissions. Ben's wrestling is more transitional, and he likes to do more damage and advancing on the ground. He could switch up the way he fights, but I don't see him becoming boring to outpoint Pettis. And he's still not the striker Anthony is. Jim Miller (who I had been calling overrated before they even fought) was a good match up style wise for Ben because his cardio and wrestling is better. Clay was similar and he gutted right through.



And yes, Frankie will plow right over Ben.

Well I dissagree, but do take your points into consideration. I don't know who wins the title fight but I do believe Ben will show up and give Frankie as good a test as any.

He very well could.

I agree....

Just watched the tape...

Everyone on this post is being just ridiculous about Melendez. Might as well go to a boxing match. These guys fought like it was a boxing match. No takedowns except for a semi descent one by Masvidal. Gilbert tried a few but unsuccessful. This is MMA...freakin look it up... Someone should of got knocked out....No one even got hurt or wabbled. Masvidal had a better chance of winning if he would of attacked Gilbert front leg with kicks...by the begining of the 3rd round, Gilbert front leg would of been jelly... overall...weak fight for being a championship bout..

sharp post

Matrix kick to the ugly goatee

Honestly if Melendez fought Pettis I would pick Gilbert.

100% agree. Gil is more versatile in his overall game. I actually think he would have more trouble with Bendo than Pettis.

ARE YOU EFFIN KIDDIN ME????.....frankie edgar,ben henderson,clay guida,donald cerrone,melvin guillard,joe lauzon,gray maynard,anthony pettis.....jus to name a few LW that i think would beat gibert melendez(and i dont even like a couple of these guys).who the hell is jorge masvidal????....he aint no top 10 LW thats for sure.

Gilbert already beat Guida and Guida has beat Pettis......maybe you like MMA math and have a spare pencil.

I agree....But back in 2006 he beat Clay Guida via decision. Gilbert has only finished asian fighter and one brazillian in the last 2yrs. All underated no names except Aoki but I dont consider him MMA. Gilbert was talking crap before the fight that he was going to smash Masvidal. This was a weak SMASH. and now he talking that he will smash Petis. whatever.... He wont be champ in the UFC...Just like Shields.....

Masivadal is not a top 10 LW obviously. He doesn't have the wins on his resume. But you throw him in their with top LW's in the UFC and I'm not betting against him personally. Give the guy some credit, he got robbed in the Paul Daley fight, outstruck Noons more impressively than Diaz could, and honestly looked pretty good yesterday apart from not letting his hands go as much as he should have.

I agree with you bro....but anyone who talks alot of hype on Gilbert is full of crap. Gilbert himself talks alot of crap that he is going to do this or that but doesnt deliver or he cant deliver as it turns out. My personal feeling is considering the 4oz gloves used in this sport, there should never be a decision. If there is a decision, they should be fighting like Hendo vs Rua. That why I still havent seen the tape of this fight...

Just watched the fight..... WEAK...

I can see more action on a Pacman boxing match...

He beat Clay before Clay was even in the UFC - MMA Math has a statute of limitations, I don't consider a fight that happened five and a half years ago to prove sh*t. Pettis beat Clay this year. Bendo beat Clay this year.

pettis beat bendo and bendo beat guida so u sound dumb

6yrs ago he beat Guida...barely by decision too...

weak comparison.....that was in 2006...Guida wasnt in the UFC...

since then he has improved and earned his way into the UFC

"barely by decision too..."



Nice use of wikipedia ya jerkoff. You see split deicison and you jump to a conclusion. If you actually watched the fight you would see how badly Gil smashed Guida, and that the judge who scored it for Guida actually made a mistake on his scorecard.

As Dana White always tells these guy fighting.... "Never leave it in the hands of the judges"....

And when you really think about it.... Your just as stupid and weak as Gilbert... SMASHED.... use another word because Bones Jones SMASHED Rua, Bader, Vera, and a few others... get a dictionary

(and Gil's only top-ten win in his career was against a weak Japanese who can't fight in a cage against wrestlers.)

Clay Guida has been the same fighter for like 5 years now. There's little evidence that would show a fight between those two would go any different.

The MMA math thing wasnt supposed to be taken seriously, though you ran with it like your tied to a car bumper.

Fact is, none of you know exactly how Melendez will do until he gets there.

We already waded through the incorrect predictions 1/2 this site made last night.

Give credit to Gil. Aoki loses one fight and suddenly he's a piece of shit. Maybe it's because Gil extremely good, not because Aoki sucks.

true.........

Hahaha yea. Aoki loses to Gil in a cage, and suddenly "he can't fight in a cage against wrestlers".



Because that makes so much sense...

BTW Clay was mobbed by Gilbert in their fight. He didn't barely lose. Anyone who has actually seen the fight would agree.

NO...Aoki isnt an MMA fighter period...

grappler.....that is his claim to fame....

Nope.



http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Shinya-Aoki-10774



Mixed martial artist

lmao, we got a wave of new fans on lowkick that have some catchup to do

You think that yur boyfriend could beat him now???....thats fine,what about the other 6 guys on the list and the other 2 or 3 that i could put on that list???

First of all, I dont swear anything can happen, 2nd of all using "boyfriend" as an insult because someone disagrees with you shows your age and immaturity, therefore I'll stop here and let you grow up.

Masvidal top 10?

He can't beat Guillard, Pettis, dos Anjos, Dunham, Tibau, Barboza,

Stephens, Etim, Stout



All those guys are outside my top 10

Really, he's already fought those guys and lost to them?

I really don't think Gilbert can beat Jim miller on his best day. Keep fighting B level fighters,get paid and shut your mouth .

Take a look at Jim's resume (his wins are all b level fighters).

Blah blah blah..... Nothing but a sales pitch to get into the UFC. Plus, Pettis is too pretty to get smashed.

I agree...Gilbert just wants to get in the UFC.... everyone saw what happened to Shields.... wow...6yrs? or however many year without a loss....big deal... when your fighting B level competition, sure you can look like a stud....

He didn't look like much of a stud when he beat Hendo a couple of years back. But he did beat Dan; and now Dan has his choice between a MW Title and a LHW Belt to challange for. So much for B level comp.

Gil must be a top ten fighter or we would'nt be debating this so agressively. Send Pettis over......Let's find out if Gil can beat these guys; I think this kid has a shot with all of them- from Edgar to Pettis and everyone else down the line.

Not so long ago if someone said Henderson was top 3 or top 5 fighting outside the UFC the same old numb nutz would be saying who's he fought? they're all mediocre etc etc. Well he transitioned into UFC and has established himself as a contender. Melendez has the tools to do very well in the UFC. great hands, great movement. Does seem open to shots down the middle somewhat, especially knees, but this argument of he is not UFC top 5standard based solely on the fact he fights outside of the UFC just shows how pathetically stupid some commentators on lowkick are.



the LW division is tremendously talented. You could probably write a dozen different lists of top 5's and all would be hard to argue against other than the fact other lists are just as strong. Melendez is quality same as many other LWs. If he makes the transition to UFC I'm sure some of you thickos will realise how dumb ya'll sound.



I'd love to see him against Edgar as their styles are made for each other, proper chess match by masters, but I could see someone like Cerrone giving him problems. then again Cerrone gonna be big problems for most LWs if he carries on the way he is.