Melendez: With Strikeforce Sale to UFC, Time to Deliver

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Gilbert Melendez has been saying he’s the best lightweight in the world. With the UFC buying Strikeforce, he could have the opportunity to prove it soon.

“I think the sky’s the limit now,” Melendez said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “Now it’s on me. I’ve been doing a lot of talking and campaigning that I’m number one. Now if I deliver, if I put on some shows, not only win but entertain and reach out to all my fans, I think the sky’s the limit.”

Despite his status as Strikeforce’s lightweight champion, Melendez has not enjoyed the notoriety of other 155-pound fighters, particularly the UFC’s. He’s gone on winning regardless. At 18-2, he is Sherdog.com’s No. 2-ranked lightweight in the world. He turned to hyping himself up only as a means to an end.

“I willingly put this extra pressure on myself,” Melendez said. “I’m the type of guy who was raised to do his talking in the cage … but sometimes in this business you have to do some talking outside to get heard. I’m trying to do my talking without being obnoxious, but I really feel like I am the number one guy. I’m going to campaign it. I’m going to put the pressure on myself and try to walk the walk.”

The walk continues Saturday at Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Daley.” Melendez will be defending his title against Tatsuya Kawajiri.

“I think it’s going to be a great fight, but I think I’m going to break this guy,” Melendez said. “We’ll see a finish by the end of the third round.”

Melendez met Kawajiri in a December 2006 matchup in Japan, winning a unanimous decision. He’s expecting a battle in the rematch.

“I think I’m more athletic and agile,” Melendez said. “He has great control and pretty good hammerfists, and his reach is pretty good. He’s strong and stuff, but he’s not very scrambly. I’m a little bit more slippery. He’s more boxey and robotic.”

Kawajiri is also a world-class lightweight, ranked No. 7 in the world. It will be a tough fight for Melendez, but with the challenge comes opportunity. Now he has the Zuffa marketing machine behind him, and in victory he will likely move into a bigger spotlight.

“I just kind of felt I was going to be under the radar of many fans, and now with the UFC buying us out, I think I’ll be on the radar of plenty of fans,” Melendez said. “Strikeforce or UFC, either organization I’m fighting for, just the fact that I have them behind me, [I’m] going to be out there.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 1:00:38).