Melendez (22-8) admitted that his UFC journey was a fun ride in which he was involved in one of the most entertaining fights in the promotion’s history when he took on Diego Sanchez at UFC 166. He added that the release was a mutual decision and that he was leaving the company on good terms.
Here’s what he told ESPN:
There was a lot of hype surrounding ‘El Nino’ when he was signed up by the UFC in 2013. However, things didn’t work out for the former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion as he went on to have an unimpressive 1-6 record in the UFC.
A post shared by gilbertmelendez (@gilbertmelendez) on Jul 9, 2019 at 12:46pm PDT
Melendez was suspended for a year when he tested positive for testosterone metabolites after his split decision loss to Eddie Alvarez in 2015. Any chances of a career resurgence were squashed when he returned after the suspension and lost to Edson Barbosa in 2016.
Melendez went on to lose his next two fights against Jeremy Stephens and Arnold Allen respectively, with his last fight happening in July earlier this year.
Melendez has not won a single fight since his barnburner against Diego Sanchez in 2013 and leaving the UFC was the ideal decision to make for the 37-year-old American.
Will Bellator come knocking on Melendez’s door now that he is a free agent? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
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