Why Melendez deserves a shot over Cerrone/Pettis.

Some people are saying Melendez doesn't deserve a shot based on his last performance against Josh Thomson.

But honestly, there's so many reasons why Melendez deserves a shot over the Pettis & Cerrone winner.

- Melendez has been floating amongst the top 3 LW's in the world for quite some time. People forget the rankings in which the fighters he fought were at the time he fought them. Shinya Aoki is one of notable wins that he has, Aoki was known as one of the top LW's in the world & Melendez handled him with ease.

- Melendez is the last Strikeforce Lightweight Champion & a Title Unification is the only obvious thing to do.

- Cerrone already lost to Benson twice, it'd be hard to market that fight a 3rd time, even though their 1st fight could've gone either way, Benson won the decision and it's already stated on his record.

- Anthony Pettis lost his shot at the title against Guida, who Benson beat prior to fighting for the title.

- Anthony Pettis is coming off a win over Joe Lauzon. Though Lauzon was riding high on his win over the ranked at the time Melvin Guillard. Joe Lauzon wasn't ranked and has no top 10 wins whatsoever. Cerrone is coming off a win over Guillard during the time that Guillard wasn't ranked, and he still isn't. This doesn't warrant a shot in my opinion.

- & Lastly, Benson has been open to fighting Melendez lately anyways, I think the Pettis vs. Cerrone winner should fight Alvarez if he were to come over, or someone like Gray Maynard to solidify a shot a shot at the title. They both don't have any top 10 wins as of recent. Maybe Cerrone over Siver, but that was a way while back.

 

If pettis wins I would much rather see him fight benson.

 

I'm more interested in the Pettis fight, to be honest.

 

He's been ranked in the top 10 in multiple divisions longer than either of them have been fighting. He's currently ranked in the top 10 p4p, and he was ranked in the top 3 p4p all the way back in 06....

Those are pretty good reasons.

respect.

 

I think Melendez is more deserving too. Just like everybody else, I really want to see a Pettis Bendo rematch, but that can take place at the end of the year. Pettis is only on a two fight win streak.

 

this

 

Why people would argue against the Melendez/Henderson fight is beyond me. Melendez vs UFC LW champ has been talked about for years...now it's happening. Huzzah!

 

It's called new fans who are not familiar with the history of the sport or it's fighters.

They see this young good looking kid who does lots of flashy moves and has been fighting in the UFC. So obviously he deserves it.

 

Melendez should have lost against Josh Thompson.

That's why. Not.

 

There's that or the fact that Pettis has a win over the champ and Melendez injured his way to a title shot in the ufc after a very lackluster performance.

But wise sherdog elder, please right me in my ways.

 

Now this is pretty much the best and most thought out answer you're going to get from those who don't feel he deserves the shot.


So.........I think that pretty much answers the question.

 

That's great. The problem is he's not fighting the champ and is 2-1 in his last 3.

Yet has a better current, and overall record than either Pettis or Cerrone.

You already are well aware of why Melendez is and should be getting the shot.

I know you like Pettis and that's great. But I give you much more credit than to play dumb.

 

I think both Showtime and Gil have an evenly matched record, present problems for Benson, Showtime has already beat Benson in a close fight that was off the chain. The thing with Gil is that he's been stuck outside of the UFC for so long that when you look at his record and see the lack of top 10 wins, you see his last fight against Josh Thomson, a fight quite a few think he lost, it's hard for non-die hards to get behind him and prop his upcoming title shot. The reality is, a lot of fans of MMA came around post-Pride and there really hasn't been another promotion to have their fighters come in to the UFC and the majority do well. Even guys who came over from Pride have struggled to be as dominant in the UFC like they were in Pride.

So idk, I'm not 100% on board with Gil getting a title shot right off the bat but it's better than Eddie Alvarez who is a great talent, but he needs to test himself against the elite and the only promotion who can brag about having the very elite is the UFC. It's like the NFL, you can be a baller in the CFL, Arena, but no one is hollering your name as the GOAT if you don't at least play a handful of seasons in the NFL.

 

when a title fight is announced, 2 types of sherdoggers show their colors:

a) those who are content
b) those who are angry it wasn't someone else.

i'm glad i'm not in the 2nd category. whut a pathetic disposition, going thru life always being disappointed.

i've wanted Pettis to get a crack at the belt for 2 years. owell. Gil v Ben is a great fight. when Pettis beats Cowboy, he'll get a shot. eventually.

 

I just look at the level of talent Gilbert has fought. He barely beat Josh Thompson who is no where near a top 10 LW, and some people, including myself, thought Josh won that fight. Rankings mean nothing. Just look at the talent he has fought in his career. No where near the talent that the LWs in the ufc have fought. I understand right now there is no other contender, but that shouldn't be a reason. Gilbert is gonna get smashed, and show people that he doesn't belong in the discussion of top level LW fighters.

And this is not me bashing him, I just don't believe he's on the same level as the UFC LWs, and people will see why.

 

If Melendez gets a title shot, there is no question it is earned (despite the whole Thompson/Melendez III scoring controversy, not that Henderson/Edgar II didn't have that), however...

Exactly. Pettis gave us some big time Showtime in that last fight, and won in convincing and exciting fashion against Henderson. We all love a good rematch. Melendez got Thompson (although that was a trilogy); now, Henderson gets Pettis.

I hardly considering losing to a LnP Clay Guida a loss. In fact, I felt he won that fight, since he pushed the action, whereas all Clay Guida did was pretend to be doing something like that moronic weed-for-hair loser always does.

Quite frankly, the fact that Gray Maynard barely etched out a split decision against Clay Guida in full runaway mode (no seriously, watch it; it wasn't even a fight, and Guida should have been cut for that crap) should tell you how valid Pettis' loss to the Crapenter is. Some fighters fight for points; Clay Guida fights to trick the judges into letting him win a dance contest in a fight.

 

Agreed, the UFC could have scrapped the Pettis/Cerrone fight and had Pettis fight Benson, but the reality is they know Melendez deserves this title shot for all the crap he's had to go through in Strikeforce and the fact that he hasn't lost a fight in over 4 years.

If Pettis beats Cerrone, it will only make him a stronger #1 contender rather than all this debate over who should get the shot.

 

Regardless of who gets the title shot between Showtime Pettis (if he wins) and El Nino Melendez, both guys 100% earned it. Anyone who says otherwise is just a blatant fool or obvious troll or stupid hater of either fighter.

Eddie Alvarez (he wasn't mentioned, but he may get an immediate title shot)... eh. He kinda earned a title shot I guess. If he beat Chandler, he would have 100% earned a title shot IMO. But still, that may be another issue entirely than Showtime (if he wins) vs. El Nino. Maybe we could have the two of those guys who don't get a shot at Bendo have a something of a LW super fight title eliminator!

 

Wut? How about the WEC, which is where Benson Henderson came from and then became champ? Which is also where Cerrone and Pettis came from. Everyone we are talking about in this thread not named Gilbert Melendez came from the WEC only two years ago.

 

I'm dissapointed with Benson.
As a champ, he shouldve called out his last defeat and thats pettis.

Pettis beat him 4 rounds.

I guess benson knows pettis is a harder match up for him, smart "business" move ben.

You just pulled a "mayweather"