SAN JOSE, Calif. – Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez are no strangers to each other or five round wars. Another five round battle was in the cards for tonight’s “Strikeforce: Evolution” lightweight title bout, with both fighters throwing everything but the kitchen sink at each other as the bell sounded on the fifth and final round.
This time around, it was Gilbert Melendez that dominated the fight scoring a unanimous decision victory to regain the title that he lost to Thomson back in 2008.
Melendez (17-2) used his jab, often doubling up with it, to control the pace of the fight and utilized a stifling attack on his feet, dropping Thomson in the second and fifth rounds of the fight. Thomson battled back each time he found himself on his back, scrambling to his feet to stand in the pocket and trade bombs with “El Nino.” Melendez employed a very effective left hand, leg kick combo to set the pace in the later rounds, but both fighters were ineffective in their take down attempts.
