Strikeforce fighter Gilbert Melendez says, “I have been hanging out and re-grouping a little. I just opened the El Nino Training Center. I’ve been working on that a little bit and getting my training situated. I’m getting the itch. I’m ready to go. I’ll be fighting early next year.” Gilbert’s last fight, (6 months ago) resulted in a loss of his Strikeforce lightweight title to Josh Thomson. The only other loss Gilbert has was against Mitsuhiro Ishida at Yarennoka - New Years Eve 2007.
Having only 1 fight left on his Strikeforce contract Melendez explains, “I have one fight left with Strikeforce. Right now, I’m really happy with them. I’m feeling pretty confident right now. My next fight, I’m planning on winning and I’m planning on looking great. That is what I want to do and then maybe just weigh out some options. But I’m really happy with Strikeforce. There is the possibility I could stay there with them, but I don’t know, we will see how it goes.”
Ishida Yarennoka has recently joined Strikeforce so a possibility of a rematch is very real. “That is the one I am looking for, for my next fight. I’ve been asking for Ishida; give me Ishida. I want to fight him again.”
Gilbert has an entire network of training partners. He told me, “I’m training here at my gym. I still train with Jack Shields all the time. He has his own gym now and Nick and Nate Diaz they have their gym in Stockton. I train with them. We all rotate with each other, jumping from gym to gym. We meet up. Our boys against their boys: their boys against my boys. We all go at it together. It’s really great and the Cesar Gracie gym as well. I’ve got a good squad of boys.”
Gilbert takes pride in the sport and chooses his sponsors wisely. “I’m always up for sponsors. I always like to help. I like to build a good relationship with my sponsors. I don’t want to take their money and say, hey I’ll see you at my next fight. I like to meet someone and see if we are on the same page. If we have the same kind of vision, same beliefs and stuff. We try to work out some sort of deal. They contact me or my buddy Erik helps me out and my dad is my other manager, he helps me out.”
Mixed martial arts are a family deal according to Gilbert. He says about his father, “He’s been managing me right now. He does a great job. He has kind of been my guidance guy for now. He is, not to say, forever. When the sport is big sometimes you have to change it. But right now he has been doing a great job helping me. If we need more help we will get it. We are a strong family. Those are my buddies, you know, my friends are my family and my family are my friends it’s great.”
After reconsidering his goals “El Nino” tells me, “I had to reset my goals a little. For a minute I reached my goals. For a minute I was ranked number 2 in the world. I was top 10. I made it up there. I could say it got easy for a minute but I caught myself. I reset my goals and basically I want to be a winner. But I want to make sure every time I go out there I perform 100%. I go balls to the walls. I make it exciting and I do what I do best, go for the kill. My goals for next year: to just have some memorable wars and just take it to some guys next year. I want a big Title again.”
What can we expect from Gilbert in the year 2009? “The UFC has always been a big dream of mine. The UFC is a great organization. I love that show. But MMA is a business now and I have got to make sure things are in my best interest. The fighter in me wants to just go to the UFC and just go test myself with everyone. I’m under contract right now part of my contract is we cannot discuss it so I wouldn’t do that. But I hope and believe they are interested. It’s something I would consider. At the end of the day I’m a fighter and I have a life so I have to do what is in the best interest for me.”
The more than competent, popular, 26 year old mixed martial arts fighter ended the interview by saying, “Thank you so much for supporting me. I’m coming back. To everyone all over: Thanks!”
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