Where do you currently rank Melendez at 155?

The only guy I confidently pick to beat Mel Guillard is Grey. And I think he'd give anyone else a helluva fight so I agree there
But Clay over Melendez? I think Gil can match him in work rate and is more talented everywhere than Clay. How do you see him beating him?

 

While he may not be the most dynamic fighter in the division, Guida has by far the best conditioning and that allows him to fight in a way that would wear out anyone else. Pettis is not a bad wrestler - he wasn't for example outwrestled by Ben Henderson - but he just got worn down by Guida being so relentless with his takedowns. You're just not meant to be able to go all out the way Guida was against Pettis - constantly holding onto takedowns until the guy goes down. I see that strategy working against Melendez...although it would be a close fight because standup and grappling Gilbert is more talented.

Its actually a fight I really wanted to see - I was kinda hoping the UFC would send Guida over to fight for the strikeforce title but alas no.

 

I think he got a solid chance against any 155 lbs in ufc, he got heart and wants it, personelly i think he could beat edgar

 

I fance Gil to sprawl n brawl in this one. Big difference in the striking style in this to the Pettis fight. Pettis does his best work at range, Clay had great sucess timing the rangy jabs and kicks of Tony, making it hard for him to find his range and later in the fight throw anything with confidence. Gil is more of an inside fighter who imo will get in Clays face literally, and maybe even get a TD of his own. Be interesting to see a fight get taken to Clay. Kenny was getting tied up in nots when he tried to establish his range in the early going, but he had greater success against Clay when he shortened his range and widened his stance and threw power shots in the pocket, and obviously that leads to comparisions the Diego fight aswell. Gil is more than capable of overwhelming Guida in similar fashion

 

Clay's a much better fighter now than when he fought Florian or Diego - commits to his wrestling more and is less likely to get sucked into wild slug fests against more accurate strikers. But yeah I think it would be a close fight.

 

I think he's less wild and transitions alot better. But technically he's still the same guy imo and there were opportunities there against Pettis that will not be there with Gil as I mentioned

 

I had it Frankie then Gray then Gil. Guida is on their heels though and if Miller beats Hendo then he will be too.

 

Wrestlers or not, he got submitted twice. Once to an arm in guillotine.

 

Yes the first after he got demolished by Jones and in desperation pulled guard. The second after he got damn near knocked out by a hail mary punch.

To say never is too much, but the fact is that wrestlers don't tend to be susceptible to submissions now. And that's only go to be ever more the case as college wrestlers (such as Ben Askren) learn BJJ alongside competing in the NCAAs rather than pick it up in their mid-twenties.

 

What? he got thrown around, Jones toyed with him. Word is Jones didnt even train for that fight.

 

I know you were on a wrestling track....but Jones is 50lbs heavier than Gil and of little relevance imo

Plenty of Jones threads to discuss that

 

deal

 

Seriously, I think some of these guys just see that Melendez trains with the Diaz bro's and think that he must have the same problems against wrestlers that they do, which is putting two and two together and coming out with 5.

 

Melendez is a stud. Far as im concerned he is hands down the best lightweight in the world right now. He would utterly tool Edgar. Id be more interested to see him vs Penn which would absolutely be a stand up war.

 

I'd have him at #3, just below Edgar and Maynard, just above Guillard and Jim Miller.

Melendez against any of those four would be a great fight, and a closely contested one.