Gilbert Melendez hit his ceiling immediately in UFC

[dogsdonutsdragons]

i think it was a timing thing. gil was just as good as the best in the ufc in his prime.

 

[jeskola]

 

[OldNick]

His 2009-2012 run was great. Wins over Kawajiri, Aoki, Ishida, Masvidal and Thomson (×2) was amazing to watch. I also thought he should have gotten the nod over Benson.

 

[Skarsgard]

Rda was the champion lol how is anyone going to finish that version of him.

That's fine to say Gilbert was on his way out. I'd even agree with it, but Alvarez had a much better ufc career and fought better late in his career. It wasn't like he just had better luck with decisions, he was just better all around. He still is

RDA was reportedly passing out from his weight cut in the back. He had to cut three pounds the day of the weigh-ins and it showed. He looked sluggish and weak. Could Eddie have won regardless? Maybe. I think we just saw the best version of him vs the worst of RDA.

Alvarez had a better career on paper. He arguably should have lost to Pettis and Melendez and proceeded to get finished in nearly every big fight after that. Hell, outside of Gaethje and RDA, his UFC career was a bit of a flop.

 

[pnchdrnk]

His "fight fight losing streak" was very troubling indeed.

Conor may be the first champ champ, but he's only the second to go on a fight fight losing streak. Giblert bless!

 

[CasualBot]

the most confusing prospects...

tyson griffin, roger huerta, mark hominick, jorge gurgel, gil, benson henderson, anthony pettis, benavidez, joe lauzon, nick diaz,
and... ben askren.

dunno about the speed of hitting ceilings,
but some of these guys were legendary
before they even got to the ufc.

never imagined frankie edgar, clay guida, and jim miller
would out live these guys in the grand scheme of things.

 

[BFoe]

His 2009-2012 run was great. Wins over Kawajiri, Aoki, Ishida, Masvidal and Thomson (×2) was amazing to watch. I also thought he should have gotten the nod over Benson.

I think he coasted in rd 5 and unfortunately deserved to lose but it was very winnable. It really bummed me out as I’m a big Melendez fan and think he’s easily top 10 LW all time if not top 5.

I think he’s a fighter that came to the UFC just a bit too late to really evaluate him. Sort of like Michael Chandler.

 

[Kingz]

I would say so.

Either way, he still should’ve been UFC champion atleast for a defense because I thought he beat Henderson in his debut.

Melendez had a full decade long career outside the UFC. He came in having arguably lost to JT and a lackluster/though dominant performance vs Masvidal. In most cases the cracks usually show before.

So it’s not surprising his performance or activity didn’t stay high level for long after his arrival. These aren’t blue chippers. Most of the PRIDE and Strikeforce guys had already fought through their primes or were near the end of them. Especially for the lower weight classes.

 

[Haj01]

It's a real shame he hit his head on the ceiling. I hope it didn't hurt too bad.

 

[MMA Maine-iac]

the most confusing prospects...

tyson griffin, roger huerta, mark hominick, jorge gurgel, gil, benson henderson, anthony pettis, benavidez, joe lauzon, nick diaz,
and... ben askren.

dunno about the speed of hitting ceilings,
but some of these guys were legendary
before they even got to the ufc.

never imagined frankie edgar, clay guida, and jim miller
would out live these guys in the grand scheme of things.

I kinda thought Tyson Griffin was going to take over the division. But after he got blast ko'ed, he fell off a cliff.

As for Giblert...

Well when your company spells your name Giblert, and then the fans pick up on it and run with it, it's game over.

Giblert.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Gilbert Melendez was the StrikeForce champion from 2009 all the way until StrikeForce was bought by the UFC in 2013, his first match was against Benson Henderson in a title unifir. He would lose by split decision with many saying it was a robbery. Here is the fight if you want to watch Gilbert VS Benson , after that he would beat Diego Sanchez and would go on a fight losing skid from 2014 until his retirement in 2019, he would face killers row, as he fought and lost to Anthony Pettis (title match), Eddie Alvarez, Edson Barboza, Jermey Stephens and Arnold Allen

Edit 2009 not 2019

He was at the end of his prime years.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Anybody would have finished that RDA and Juston played right into Eddie's strengh but that is still a legit win.

Gilbert was already on his way out by the point he was in the UFC.

That RDA? He was the champ and on a great run.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

the most confusing prospects...

tyson griffin, roger huerta, mark hominick, jorge gurgel, gil, benson henderson, anthony pettis, benavidez, joe lauzon, nick diaz,
and... ben askren.

dunno about the speed of hitting ceilings,
but some of these guys were legendary
before they even got to the ufc.

never imagined frankie edgar, clay guida, and jim miller
would out live these guys in the grand scheme of things.

Poor Tyson Griffen, Gomi knocked the prime out of him.

Evan Dunham was another guy that seemed destined for better things

 

[Neck&Neck]

“Numba 1 lightweight in da wuuurrrrrld Giblert Hernandez”

 

[italiamusica]

Giblert will always make me laugh, reminds me of this:

 

[Mike]

I kinda thought Tyson Griffin was going to take over the division. But after he got blast ko'ed, he fell off a cliff.

As for Giblert...

Well when your company spells your name Giblert, and then the fans pick up on it and run with it, it's game over.

Giblert.

Tyson is one of those prospects I always think about. He was in a lot of great UFC fights around the time I started watching and I thought he was one of the guys that was the future of the division. But then he just fell off a cliff overnight.

 

[Left Hook Lacy]

I thought he got gifted the wins in Strikeforce over Thomson.

But if anything, all the WEC and Strikeforce guys (and Alvarez) proved they were world class and at least as good as the UFC LWs. They spent quite some time battling it out for the UFC title. You can't prove it more than that.

 

[RichardHarrow]

Yea when they spelled his name wrong, I knew in that moment that he had maxed out his potential.

Damn at least they remembered his name.

 

[RichardHarrow]

Tyson is one of those prospects I always think about. He was in a lot of great UFC fights around the time I started watching and I thought he was one of the guys that was the future of the division. But then he just fell off a cliff overnight.

Agreed. He was a Jens Pulver 2.0 in some ways.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Really fucking wish I bought his UFC jersey