Countdown to UFC 188: Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez
Two former major MMA (mixed martial arts) champions Eddie Alvarez and Gilbert Melendez will square off this weekend (Saturday June 13th, 2015) at UFC 188 in Mexico. The two will fill the co-main event slot of the highly anticipated PPV (pay-per-view) card, with the heavyweight championship on the line in the main event. Alvarez and Melendez bring crowd pleasing styles to the octagon, and will likely match up very well given their chops in the striking department.
‘El Nino’, the former Strikeforce 155-pound boss, has had a bit of a rough transition to the Zuffa club; a debut championship loss against Benson Henderson in 2013 led to a fight of the night against Diego Sanchez at UFC 166. The bout was an instant classic, and led Melendez to his second title fight in three outings. Anthony Pettis submitted ‘El Nino’ at UFC 181 following a humdrum season of The Ultimate Fighter, and a rather unsung rivalry between the two.
He faces, in ‘The Silent Assassin’, a verified striker with some serious knockout power and also high level submissions. While lightweight champion in Bellator, Alvarez compiled a 10-1 promotional record, only losing to Michael Chandler in the first of their two championship bouts. The former champ’s crossover to the UFC didn’t go smoothly, as he lost a unanimous decision to Donald Cerrone at UFC 178. Now looking to insert himself in to the elite of the division, Alvarez will be looking to make a statement on Melendez’s face.
Check out the full UFC 188 Countdown to Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez video, and stay tuned to LowKickMMA!
