Strikeforce
Strikeforce Champ Gilbert Melendez not underestimating Jorge Masvidal ahead of Dec. 17 title bout
Oct 18, 2011 - 1:15:16 PM Strikeforce Champ Gilbert Melendez not underestimating Jorge Masvidal ahead of Dec. 17 title bout

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The talk over the last month of bringing Gilbert Melendez to the UFC led to some disappointment when it was announced that Melendez would stay in Strikeforce to face Jorge Masvidal as expected on Dec. 17.

Masvidal has come on strong this year with victories over Billy Evangelista and K.J. Noons, but compared to potential fights with the top fighters in the UFC, the anticipation isn't there for the Masvidal bout, and it's one that Melendez is wholly expected to win.

The match-up doesn't offer much upside for Melendez. It's an opponent he's supposed to defeat, and if he doesn't do so in impressive fashion it will bring into question for some whether he should have been included in the discussion at the top of the division in the first place. However, that's something Melendez understands, and he sees this fight as a chance to prove something to himself.

"The biggest motivation is fighting a guy who's underrated that I'm supposed to smash," Melendez said in a recent press conference for the event (transcribed by MMAJunkie.com). "It's not for the fans; this is for myself to overcome this. I have nothing to gain here."

"I think I can prove a lot to myself if I can handle this business right here. This is where everyone supposedly chokes. Am I going to choke? We'll find out."

Many don't see Masvidal as a major threat to Melendez. The Strikeforce Lightweight Champion believes that he should be in the UFC, and it's a feeling many share. However, Melendez does understand the challenges presented to him by Masvidal.

"I thought, and I still do think, that it makes sense for me to be [in the UFC]," Melendez said. "But with that put away, it's gone in my head, and now it's focusing on this guy... He's become a well-rounded MMA fighter in the last couple of years.

"He's definitely a No. 1 contender and an underrated fighter. I think his biggest problem is being inconsistent... and that's probably why he's not in the top 10 right now. But when he's focused and motivated, he's definitely a very big threat. Obviously, this is one he better be motivated for."

Penick's Analysis: I like Melendez's self-aware attitude towards this fight. He has very little to gain compared to what he could lose in this fight, and he knows that. Masvidal presents some very real challenges, and after his impressive performances against Evangelista and Noons, Melendez cannot afford to look past him as an opponent. I don't think he will, and if he keeps the attitude he's got right now with the fight it will serve him well in December. This should still be a very good lightweight fight, but Melendez knows what is expected of him and what he needs to do to make his statement and get his run in the UFC.