Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert ‘El Nino’ Melendez is now a free agent, but plans to re-sign with his current organization. He admits that the top two lightweights in the world are UFC’s BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar, but he truly believes that he is at least number three over any other fighter. Although he won’t be facing Penn or Edgar anytime soon, Melendez hopes to face top ten competition in order to prove that he is amongst the top lightweights worldwide. He also mentions the fact that he’d be willing to move up a weight class (170 lbs.) to test outside waters.
From Gilbert Melendez:
“Yeah I’m a free agent but at this point I already plan on re-signing with Strikeforce. I really believe it goes number one BJ Penn, number two Frankie Edgar and I really believe I’m number three in the world right now. I’m definitely coming for the number one spot but I got a lot to prove. It’s gonna be hard because I don’t fight BJ or Frankie Edgar so Strikeforce is going to have to come up with some people in the top ten for me to beat to help me prove that. Maybe I’ll go up to 170, who knows.”
