MilitaryPress

By Art Garcia, Jr.

In what many believe will be his last fight before jumping over to the UFC, Gilbert Melendez will put his STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Championship on the line versus Jorge Masdival at Valley View Casino Center Dec. 17. Having amassed an impressive 18-2 record while battling his way to titles in both PRIDE and STRIKEFORCE, Melendez must get past Masdival if he hopes to get an immediate shot at UFC champion Frankie Edgar. At a recent press conference, Melendez sat down with MP reporter Art Garcia Jr and answered a few questions about his upcoming fight.

AG: Tell me about Masvidal?
GM: Well he’s tough; he’s a very tough cat. He’s a big guy – he’s fought in the 170’s … he’s fought tough guys like (Paul) Daley. He has a tall reach, has become a well-rounded mixed martial artist and he poses a lot of threats and I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’ve been doing my homework and I think I have what it takes to beat him. It’s fun because it’s a new style I haven’t quite fought yet although it is similar to a couple of guys I have, so I’m looking forward to testing his skills.

AG: You train with both Nick and Nate Diaz, are they able to simulate that type of style so you can get some good work in before your face Masvidal on Dec. 17?
GM: You know a lot of times I just need them to be nice, tall, long and elusive and Nate’s really good for that – he likes to use his punches and he stays on the outside a lot. It’s hard to find a target on a tall guy and I have to learn to find it on Nate because he’s a really tall guy as well. So it helps me close the gap and find that target without swinging for the fences and missing like KJ Noons and Billy Evangelista did.

AG:In a recent interview I read that Masdival said that you’re going to be eating his punches and how he prefers to stand up and fight because he would rather punish people than get a decision — is that what you expect?
GM: That’s funny that he said that because all of his fights go the distance and I see him back peddling a lot. But he is a vicious fighter and he lands some vicious punches and if it goes to the ground then I’ll be doing the punishing … I think I’ll be doing most of the punishing in this fight. But I’m really excited for this fight, it’s pumping me up — this whole day is pumping me up.

AG: So you see some aspects of his game that you feel you can exploit?
GM: I think so; I’m looking forward to it because I think I can do it everywhere. It frustrates me, well it doesn’t really frustrate me, because people say ‘make sure you take him down’ – yeah, it’s a great thing to take someone down but I’m not scared to stand with him at all. I don’t feel like his striking is devastating – yes, he throws some quick punches that come down the middle and he’s a very good boxer, but I know how to box boxers and I know how to box MMA fighters.

AG: You say he has a different style and you have fought guys similar to his style… with that in mind, are you going to force him to adjust to you or are you going to adjust to his style?
GM: He’s going to have to adjust to me. Obviously, I’m going to fight my fight because I know how to figure out his strategy, and once he figures out that his strategy isn’t working and now he’s fighting my game it’s going to be different for him.

AG: There are some members of the media who believe that once you jump to the UFC you should have to pay your dues in that organization rather than getting an automatic title shot just because you’re the STRIKEFORCE champion – what are your thoughts?
GM: With some of those writers I have been fighting longer than they’ve been writers, you know what I mean — probably twice as long. There are a lot of writers that have been out there like that who just don’t know anything. The reason I haven’t beaten any of the guys in the UFC is because they haven’t been around as long as me having been in the PRIDE days. If you look at your history, I’ve been around a lot longer — you get ranked easier in the UFC just because you’re in the UFC.

Someone like Jorge, to me he should be ranked in the top ten –he could beat a lot of those guys in the UFC that are ranked up thereand demolish a lot of them but he hasn’t had the exposure as (he would) in the UFC.I’m sure if they played all of my fights on the UFC from day one people would think different. If every one of my fights were UFC fights they’d be thinking I’m just as good as I say I am.

AG: Can you give me a prediction for the fight?
GM: Prediction? Yeah, I predict this fight won’t go beyond the third round.

AG: Any message to the MMA fans in San Diego?
GM: I want to wish the fans in San Diego much love. I have family in Tijuana, from Chula Vista up to northern California, you should come and check out these fights – I can’t guarantee you a victory but I can sure guarantee some fireworks baby!