Prime BJ Penn vs Prime Gilbert Melendez

[TheBrownRanger]

Let's say Gil decides to not fight Josh Thomson for the LW title and leaves Strikeforce in 2009. He joins the UFC and is granted a title shot against a very MOTIVATED BJ Penn, who just got done mauling the fuck out of Diego Sanchez.

Who wins?

Championship fight: 5 rounds.

VS

 

[AssassinFacedBaby]

Damn Aoki would have been killed in the UFC

 

[FreddieRoachsVoice]

Good match-up for Penn for once. I think he throttles him for 5 rounds.

 

[TRVITMVNZ]

BJ Boxing was crisp. I think he picks him apart

 

[Mike K.O]

BJ by dec

 

[beephin]

 

[HUGHPHUG]

I think during that period BJ doesn't lose to anyone

 

[HUGHPHUG]

But it would have been an awesome scrap

 

[Mamou]

BJ by decision or late round RNC

BJ had better hands and Melendez wouldn't be able to get him down. Even if he did, he would hold no advantage.

 

[Mike]

Bj would have beat his ass.

 

[Grill master]

Bj would have beat his ass.

This

 

[Kumason]

Melendez couldn't get Masvidal down once in their 5 round fight around that time,in fact he got taken down.He didn't have a super heavy wrestling gameplan and Jorge's wrestling is underrated,but I think it sheds a little light on how that would possibly go.The Melendez that fought Thomson the second fight was an absolute monster though.I don't know,stylistically i'd lean BJ.

 

[sabretitan]

A Prime bj penn would beat gil anywhere

 

[Goatenstein]

Gil was never on the level of prime Penn.

 

[moreorless87]

BJ would have the better of it standing most likely but Gil might be able to beat him via cardio.

 

[MescalineDreams]

BJ is better In every single area

Gilbert's wrestling Isn't good enough to employ that sort of strategy against Penn.

He's stated multiple times he believes Penn is the greatest LW of all time.

 

[cyrusthevyrus]

This prime vs prime threads are incredibly stupid. You cannot compare a pioneer that was creating the sport with a current fighter who already knew how to train, which strategies are better. Its just nonsense.

 

[BoD 2.0]

Refer to their fights with Diego. They were on different levels. It took Frankie bouncing around like a mosquito to eek out a controversial decision against Penn back then. Penn would’ve beaten Giblert up pretty bad.

 

[Superior]

BJ via whatever he wants, Gil has always been overrated.

 

[TheBrownRanger]

This prime vs prime threads are incredibly stupid. You cannot compare a pioneer that was creating the sport with a current fighter who already knew how to train, which strategies are better. Its just nonsense.

They were champions and had some of their most dominant performances around the same time, like 2008-2010. I know Penn was around a bit longer than that, but he wouldn't decline until a year or two later.

I understand your point, but we're not talking Mike Tyson vs Jack Dempsey here lol.