gilbert melendez2-12-17-11

Sounds like tough times for former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez. Ariel Helwani spoke with Dana White and the boss says it isn’t looking good for a new deal to be struck at the moment.  Dana tells Helwani “I’m done with Gilbert. I like Gilbert very much, but I don’t like his manager.”

Negotiations are never fun and for Melendez it could be more difficult because he came over to the UFC with a hefty price tag. It has been said that Melendez was making $175,000 per fight with Strikeforce. That alone could be the problem as he attempts to ink a new deal.

Melendez  came into the UFC and took then champion Benson Henderson to the judges where he found himself on the wrong side of a decision that many thought he won. He followed that up with a “fight of the night” battle with Diego Sanchez that was in talks of being fight of the year. Excitement ran high as many thought he would be facing undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov but that fight didn’t get made and now we know why.

Will “El Nino” get a deal worked out? One would think that a top lightweight will get it done. With the roster size and the amount of talent that is already under contract it may take some concessions from Melendez and his management. Who would really want to see him in Bellator or WSOF? Not me.
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