why is diego fighting melendez?

[DennysGrandSlam]

It's fine IMO. Sanchez is coming off of a win, it's on his record, that's what they base these things off of. Melendez is coming off of a loss after fighting at the absolute highest level.

They're not going to want to give Melendez a top 10 opponent, because those are potential title challengers should he rise back up and win the belt.

They're not going to give him any young upstarts like Myles Jury, Michael Johnson (who is finally starting to come around), or Barboza because he would potentially and expectantly beat them and rob them of their momentum.

They don't want to give him a guy who is too far down the ladder because they probably want him to challenge for the title in the next 3-4 defenses.

A guy like Diego is a name Melendez can use, a winnable fight, and Diego's legacy as a title challenger at lightweight puts him up pretty high in the division with the (albeit very questionable) decision over Gomi who seems to hover around number 15-20.

That said, many believe Diego lost 4 of his last 5 since losing to Penn. So, the real answer to your question is that they know Diego will come out to fight and put on a good show for the Latin fanbase.

 

[tshort**]

OK TS, who should have got the fight vs Melendez. it is easy to criticize, but a lot harder to come up with a better alternative.

I already said in my OP that I understand with injuries and the timing of other top fighters fighting that sometimes there will be fights like this.

But, to your question. Gomi, perhaps a Henderson rematch (non-title fight obv.), shit I would have even liked to see Melendez fight Pettis over Thomson.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching Diego and Gil fight so I will thoroughly enjoy this fight. Maybe I'm still a little bitter about the Gomi robbery, hah. I just don't agree with giving Diego such a high profile fight. I feel like he gets these fights based of past accomplishments and not off his current performances. I know the UFC is not the most fair organization in the world, but I wish they could have gotten Melendez a tougher challenger for a legit number one contenders match (what's the deal with T.J. Grant, btw? Is he still injured?).

Melendez vs. Grant would be fucking epic.

 

[ISUBDNOG]

Because its a sick fight. And Diego lacking the technical speed and prowess possessed by Gil don't matter. Styles make fights. I hope Diego finds a way to make it ugly.
Still, safe bet is GIL UD IMO

 

[bullfish]

Okay, when have you ever seen anybody get an easy win over Diego? Don't be so quick to write him off.

good point I hope we finally see someone beside Penn get an easy win over the dream.

 

[Rebel_LioN]

Ironically, Diego is actually a bigger name than Melendez...

 

[sololist]

Okay, when have you ever seen anybody get an easy win over Diego? Don't be so quick to write him off.

Ummm.... base on his last fight, Melendez has a much better chance.

Plus I do not see Diego holding any significant advantage over Melendez.

 

[Ninjapunch209]

Mexican on Mexican fight action

 

[aker2703]

I already said in my OP that I understand with injuries and the timing of other top fighters fighting that sometimes there will be fights like this.

But, to your question. Gomi, perhaps a Henderson rematch (non-title fight obv.), shit I would have even liked to see Melendez fight Pettis over Thomson.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching Diego and Gil fight so I will thoroughly enjoy this fight. Maybe I'm still a little bitter about the Gomi robbery, hah. I just don't agree with giving Diego such a high profile fight. I feel like he gets these fights based of past accomplishments and not off his current performances. I know the UFC is not the most fair organization in the world, but I wish they could have gotten Melendez a tougher challenger for a legit number one contenders match (what's the deal with T.J. Grant, btw? Is he still injured?).

Melendez vs. Grant would be fucking epic.

so two of the three are injured (grant/henderson) and Gomi is i heard being held for the Singapore card.

and no, he doesn't deserve Pettis over Thomson.

this matchmaking isn't as easy as you think.

 

[NBKondit**]

B/c he robbed Gomi

 

[tshort**]

so two of the three are injured (grant/henderson) and Gomi is i heard being held for the Singapore card.

and no, he doesn't deserve Pettis over Thomson.

this matchmaking isn't as easy as you think.

Trust me, I could do Joe Silva's job..

And I never said he deserved it over Thomson. Just that I would like to see that fight more because I think it would be a much better fight. Plus the last couple of years have showed us that one does not really have to EARN a title shot to receive one, and I'm more inclined to believe that Melendez is slightly more popular than Thomson. So I think that fight could have been put together, even if I wouldn't have agreed with it based on recent wins (losses).

 

[aker2703]

Trust me, I could do Joe Silva's job..

badly.... for sure.

 

[tshort**]

badly.... for sure.

meh, maybe. I've never tried it.

 

[Selukrid612]

Yeah, I don't like this match-up at all. I don't think it makes sense and I also just don't see it being competitive, which is preventing me from giving a shit. Same with Cormier/Nelson.

 

[XxanaxX]

Ummm.... base on his last fight, Melendez has a much better chance.

Plus I do not see Diego holding any significant advantage over Melendez.

I'm not contesting that point per se, its just that the OP and other people on this forum seem to think that Gil is going to run through Diego without much effort. Remember that Sanchez has a chin of granite and goes 100% from start to finish.

Bring on the fireworks.

 

[memoriesofrem]

Diego has name recognition and his pace makes for visually exciting fights, a good rebound for Melendez after his extremely close fight with Henderson.

 

[tshort**]

I'm not contesting that point per se, its just that the OP and other people on this forum seem to think that Gil is going to run through Diego without much effort. Remember that Sanchez has a chin of granite and goes 100% from start to finish.

Bring on the fireworks.

I agree that that is how Diego has looked in the past, however he looked very off in the Gomi fight. He seemed more timid and slower than usually. That's the main reason I think he lost the Gomi fight. He could have won if he fought his normal game, but it seems like something has changed in Sanchez's game.

I hope I am wrong, and you are correct in that Diego shows up and goes hard from bell to bell. And even though I disagree with the matchup, it will be fireworks and I'm sure at the end of the fight not a single fan will be disappointed.

 

[iShoootz**]

yeah if mma had competent judging diego would be 1-5 in his last 6

 

[matrat103]

Not to delve too far into semantics but what do you consider an "easy" win? I will concede that Sanchez was over matched on nearly all fronts, but Jay had him hurt on multiple occasions and couldn't finish him until the fifth round with a bad cut... Surely there is some merit in that?

Easy win =/= easy finish. Diego wasn't in that fight for a minute, but he's so goddamn tough that he was able to hang in there until the uncharacteristic head kick busted him open.

Same could be said for GSP vs. Hardy, for example.

 

[bub**]

Okay, when have you ever seen anybody get an easy win over Diego? Don't be so quick to write him off.

his fight with penn.

 

[bub**]

Not to delve too far into semantics but what do you consider an "easy" win? I will concede that Sanchez was over matched on nearly all fronts, but Jay had him hurt on multiple occasions and couldn't finish him until the fifth round with a bad cut... Surely there is some merit in that?

It was a balls to the walls ass kicking, and one of the most one sided title fights that didn't end in a quick knock out ever.


Diego failed at everything he tried to do, and penn did absolutely everything he wanted to him. It was...an east fight for penn.