Possible title shot UFC debut for Melendez?

axewand

axewand

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Heard the rumors, why not put him up against Maynard first? Or offer a LW return fight to BJ? He's not even a legit contender IMO. He's the SF champ but he hasn't beaten anybody near the level of the UFC's top 5 light weights. I mean, no disrespect to the guys he fought in the past and guys fighting outside UFC but who has he beat lately? Aoki?

Put him against guys like Maynard, JLau, or Jim Miller for a test, it would be more interesting to see how he will do against top guys in the UFC rather than putting him straight to title contention. Who do you guys think will be the perfect guy to welcome Gil to the UFC?
 
I think the Melendez and Cormier talk dana is throwing out there is most likely bull shit. I doubt either would get an immediate title but Dana is trying to get some buzz going. I highly doubt Melendez will bypass pettis if pettis wins and I highly doubt Cormier will just gus or hendo. Just mostly dana talking to talk. Both need one fight.
 
I don't see why Melendez couldn't fight for the title right away as a unification match, or at least fight Pettis. People forget that Pettis' only decisive victory was against J-Lau. He lost to Guida and got a split decision against Stephens. That doesn't seem to be enough for a title fight IMO. I understand with the whole back story of the last WEC fight and everything, but I'm doubting Pettis deserving it right now. He needs one more solid win. If he beats Melendez, then he definitely gets the shot.
 
axewand said:
Heard the rumors, why not put him up against Maynard first? Or offer a LW return fight to BJ? He's not even a legit contender IMO. He's the SF champ but he hasn't beaten anybody near the level of the UFC's top 5 light weights. I mean, no disrespect to the guys he fought in the past and guys fighting outside UFC but who has he beat lately? Aoki?

Put him against guys like Maynard, JLau, or Jim Miller for a test, it would be more interesting to see how he will do against top guys in the UFC rather than putting him straight to title contention. Who do you guys think will be the perfect guy to welcome Gil to the UFC?
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How the fuck is Melendez not a legit contender, and yet BJ who hasn't fought at LW in two years, and is 1-4-1 in his last six fights deserves someone who is/has been pretty universally thrown around in the top 3 discussions for years now, and is/was the defending Strikeforce LW champion?

For real now, explain that to me please.
 
BJ Penn is done, dunno if he has the desire to get down to 155 anymore but I'd figure after his loss to Rory BJ is retiring.

as for Melendez insta title shot not so sure ... he hasn't fought the greatest of opposition .. but if you're not going to give the title shot to the SF LW champ .. who is next in line if it's not Gilbert?
 
Elysianwing said:
How the fuck is Melendez not a legit contender, and yet BJ who hasn't fought at LW in two years, and is 1-4-1 in his last six fights deserves someone who is/has been pretty universally thrown around in the top 3 discussions for years now, and is/was the defending Strikeforce LW champion?

For real now, explain that to me please.
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BJ only lost to Frankie as a LW (and Pulver in the past) and is arguably still at the top 3 of the division when he left the LW division. Yes he is 1-4-1 but still, I'd pick him over Melendez at LW and because BJ is a natural LW, I still believe he will put up exciting fights at light weight. A fight with Melendez will be a great comeback fight to see whether he still has it.

I said he was not a legit contender because of the level the competition he has beaten in the past was not as good IMO as the level of the fighters that mentioned in this thread. Guys like, Cerrone, Pettis, Guillard, Maynard, JLau, Jim Miller etc, I doubt if he ever beats one of these guys although I give him a slight advantage over Guillard.
 
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axewand said:
BJ only lost to Frankie as a LW (and Pulver in the past) and is arguably still at the top 3 of the division when he left the LW division. Yes he is 1-4-1 but still, I'd pick him over Melendez at LW and because BJ is a natural LW, I'd still believe he will put up exciting fights at light weight. A fight with Melendez will be a great comeback fight to see whether he still has it.
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No no, I didn't ask you to tell me why BJ is/was a great LW, I asked you to explain how Melendez(a universal #3 LW) is not a "legit contender" but a guy that hasn't fought in the division for two years and hasn't won but 1 fight in 6 has, in any way, shape, or form earned himself contention with said top 3 LW(and StrikeForce title holder).

Not to mention, BJ shouldn't just get to leapfrog (arguably) the most talent-stacked, hyper-competitive division...just because he beat Diego Sanchez 3 years ago.
 
I hope melendez gets a title shot, that way he gets tool'd by Henderson and confirms that he doesnt even belong at the top 5 in the LW division
 
I don't even know where the Gil hate comes from.

Must be spillover from Diaz/C.G hate.

Melendez : 21-2: Thomson x2, Masvidal, Kawajiri x2, Aoki, Ishida, Guida
BJ: 16-9-2: Diego, Kenny, Sherk, Stevenson, Gomi, Serra, Uno

I mean, if you want to shit all over the guys on Gil's record, while pretending the names on BJ's are spectacular, go ahead, but I don't really know how you'll be able to justify it with any kind of objective reasoning.
 
They will have a least one fight before... Then if they win impressively. UFC can build of that hype and they may get a tittle fight after that
 
Elysianwing said:
I don't even know where the Gil hate comes from.

Must be spillover from Diaz/C.G hate.

Melendez : 21-2: Thomson x2, Masvidal, Kawajiri x2, Aoki, Ishida, Guida
BJ: 16-9-2: Diego, Kenny, Sherk, Stevenson, Gomi, Serra, Uno

I mean, if you want to shit all over the guys on Gil's record, while pretending the names on BJ's are spectacular, go ahead, but I don't really know how you'll be able to justify it with any kind of objective reasoning.
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Diego, Kenny and Sherk would all have a great chance beating everyone Melendez has beat. Are you seriously pretending that Thomson or Masvidal have ever even been close to top10 LW? And I would like to see a rematch with the new Greg Jackson Guida... okey maybe not see the fight itself, but the results after it's over.

But who knows Melendez doesn't have any bad loses either, so even though he hasn't beaten a UFC top10 fighter, doesn't mean he can't.
 
MMADonkey said:
Diego, Kenny and Sherk would all have a great chance beating everyone Melendez has beat. Are you seriously pretending that Thomson or Masvidal have ever even been close to top10 LW? And I would like to see a rematch with the new Greg Jackson Guida... okey maybe not see the fight itself, but the results after it's over.

But who knows Melendez doesn't have any bad loses either, so even though he hasn't beaten a UFC top10 fighter, doesn't mean he can't.
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See the beautiful thing about the arguments people always make here, is that they'll go straight to the rankings when trying to discredit a fighter's quality wins, and yet those very same rankings will have the fighter they are trying to discredit in the top 3. :icon_neut

You either care about the fucking rankings or you don't, stop cherry picking, as it makes your argument look ridiculous.
 
Elysianwing said:
See the beautiful thing about the arguments people always make here, is that they'll go straight to the rankings when trying to discredit a fighter's quality wins, and yet those very same rankings will have the fighter they are trying to discredit in the top 3. :icon_neut

You either care about the fucking rankings or you don't, stop cherry picking, as it makes your argument look ridiculous.
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I wasn't really refering to sherdog top10 or anything like that, but who I feel are the top lightweights. I think rankings inside one organization are pretty solid and usually prooven, but it's practically impossible to compare fighters from different organizations unless they have multiple common opponents. For all we know Melendez and Chandler could easily tank big time in the UFC.

And like I said in my previous post, Melendez could easily be the best LW too, but how can anyone rate him as such before we see him fight the top of the UFC?
 
MMADonkey said:
I wasn't really refering to sherdog top10 or anything like that, but who I feel are the top lightweights. I think rankings inside one organization are pretty solid and usually prooven, but it's practically impossible to compare fighters from different organizations unless they have multiple common opponents. For all we know Melendez and Chandler could easily tank big time in the UFC.

And like I said in my previous post, Melendez could easily be the best LW too, but how can anyone rate him as such before we see him fight the top of the UFC?
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By watching him fight, and assessing his skills accordingly, rather than defaulting to whimsical rankings(not that you specifically are or aren't). We've seen him with great grapplers(Aoki, Kawajiri, Thomson, Ishida), with great brawlers(Kawajiri), with grinders(Guida, Ishida), with (imo) a great technical striker(Masvidal), etc etc.

He isn't really lacking in any one specific area, and there is nothing to suggest he can't hang with the boys in the UFC, aside from brand-propaganda and rankings that don't have many of his wins in the top 10...yet have had him as a perennial top 3 for years now.
 
If you make the argument that they should unify the title, then you have to do this with all of them. How many people think Rockhold should fight Silva next? I'd say Maynard should be the #1 contender, the #2 being the winner of Pettis/Cerrone. Give Gil Jim Miller in 3-4 months and let Maynard fight ben. The winner of pettis/Cerrone can fight the winner of Miller vs Melendez for the next shot.
 
Makes sense, people have wanted to see him fight for the UFC title since Zuffa bought SF and there's no LW in the immediate pipeline.
 
I could see Melendez being given a title eliminator first, but i think this fight is more marketable. Hasnt lost in years, couple top ten wins, training partners with Diaz... Why put all that in risk?
 
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