Bellator wants Champ vs Champ showdowns with SF

LA wrote:

Yeah I've been talking about this, but Konrad would fight Cormier

I'd akle Alvarez over Gil, IMO Gil has been overrated for beating Thompson off a long ass layoff and a ripe for the picking against American LWs.

Gil beat Aoki who beat Alvarez. I know it doesn't always work out that way but Gilbert is the favorite in that fight.

Yeah def not how that works, Werdum beat Fedor, AA beat Werdum, AA beats Fedor? we already know that answer.

Eddie has the power and striking advantage, Gil is solid but people have overrated him over some recent wins.

Who has Eddie beaten besides scrubs in his last 5 fights?

Also, Fedor beats Werdum 99/100 times.

freakzilla316ftw wrote:

Who has Eddie beaten besides scrubs in his last 5 fights?

+1
Roger wasnt even in the top 50.

Fedor may, but he didn't

And first off Eddie has other solid wins on his resume, and do you ever just look at the matchup outside MMath?

Eddie would out box Gilbert.

Askren would take some rounds away from Nick just would have to really, really work on his sub defense in order to win.

Jacare would out grapple Lombard.

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

Eddie would out box Gilbert.

Askren would take some rounds away from Nick just would have to really, really work on his sub defense in order to win.

Jacare would out grapple Lombard.

Exactly how I see em

Out boxing Melendez with his footwork is easier said than done. Eddie's unreliable defense and innate ability to get himself rocked and in trouble fight in fight out will cost him against Melendez.

Alvarez beating cans is fooling people into the hype.

Or you could just open your eyes and watch him fight and realize he's the real deal

If he did it against worthy opponents then I would agree but when he's doing against guys that are no where near the top 20 then I'll be a realist.

The last time he fought a top 10 guy he lost in 92 seconds.

Let us not act like guys like Neer and Huerta are not legitimate, talented fighters that his skills can't be weighed against. He destroyed those fighters like they had never been destroyed in the UFC. Kikuno is also very talented with a solid resume and skillset. Let us also not forget that Eddie was ranked in the top three during his 2008 Dream run with wins over top ten fighters Hellboy and Crusher. Getting sub'd by Aoki is hardly a major black mark.

bobbitt15 wrote:

Or you could just open your eyes and watch him fight and realize he's the real deal

You're wasting your time B, he just knows MMath..

Aoki beat Eddie, Gil beat Aoki so Gil beats Eddie....

Probably only know Eddie from Bellator, but he's beaten Hell Boy, Crusher and Kikuno, not to mention beating down Neer and Huerta like no one has, Kenny didn' beat Huerta like that.

Looking at Melenedez, his best wins are Aoki, Crusher and Thompson, not that different. not to mention he lost to Thompson and Ishida....

It's all about looking the matchup, and sure anyone could beat anyone in a given fight, but like I said Eddie has the edge in power and striking and Ninja, Eddie would outbox him.

And Wolf Melendez has such good footwork and boxing cause he outboxed Thompson? man a lot of guys could give Eddie trouble standing if that's the case.

Kenny doesn't destroy people. Just like Jake Shields doesn't but they still win. Alvarez's style destroys weaker opponents but doesn't work on the world class ones. Hellboy and Crusher are no where near the top 10.

They were at the time he beat them...

Kenny and Sheilds are literally nothing alike as fighters

Can I get some real posters to talk too

LA wrote:

They were at the time he beat them...

Kenny and Sheilds are literally nothing alike as fighters

Can I get some real posters to talk too

I didn't say they were alike as fighters. I said they are alike in that they don't destroy opponents but win anyway.

Also, you saying you want to talk to a real poster is the funniest thing i've heard on this board. Nothing you say is intelligent and you are the biggest UFC nut hugger i've ever seen.

OK kid, most things I say are true, but Rogan said.........

And did Kenny destroy Gomi? how about Guida? keep trying

LA wrote:

And Wolf Melendez has such good footwork and boxing cause he outboxed Thompson? man a lot of guys could give Eddie trouble standing if that's the case.

His footwork has started becoming better and better since the second Ishida fight. A lot of guys do give Eddie trouble considering how often he gets dropped in contests.

Is it really that often? Huerta rocked him and he got right up, I'd say Huerta has a little more power then Gi tool, looking at the matchup, I see Eddie outboxing him, do his recent opponents don't really give you an idea how much it's improved there?

Gil weighs in on the topic.


http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Melendez-on-Alvarez-Bout-Were-Getting-Closer-27823


Talk of a co-promotional bout between Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez and Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez has amplified since Alvarez’s win last week over Roger Huerta.

At the postfight news conference, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said there were no barriers to making the fight except for Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. Alvarez said Coker is trying to “protect” Melendez.

That may or may not be true, but the strong words warranted headlines regardless. Melendez is just fine with the attention the potential matchup is getting.

“I think we’re getting warmer. You guys are talking about it. Everyone’s talking about it,” Melendez said Wednesday during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “Someone’s going to get backed into a corner. We’re going to figure out why it’s not happening eventually, and that person’s probably going to be cornered in and they’re probably going to have to give in. Because everyone seems like they’re up for it. Bjorn, Scott, Eddie and I. So there’s something going on where we can’t come to an agreement. I think eventually it’s going to come out, and with media and everyone talking about it, I think we’re getting a lot closer and a lot warmer.”

Coker has cited Strikeforce’s television deal with Showtime and Bellator’s deals with Fox Sports Net and NBC (late at night) as a major issue. Rebney dismissed TV as a problem last week, but Coker has suggested other barriers while also saying he’s interested in exploring the possibility of the fight.

“Obviously Strikeforce is the bigger promotion than Bellator,” Melendez said. “That could be it. That does seem like it. I’m not sure if it’s [Coker] or what, but I know Scott has co-promoted before. I think if things make sense, it can work out. But yeah, you tell me [what’s preventing the fight]. If you know something I don’t know, let me know.”

Melendez is Sherdog.com’s No. 2-ranked lightweight in the world, behind only UFC champion Frankie Edgar. With UFC co-promotion off the table, the next highest ranked lightweight Melendez could fight is Shinya Aoki, whom he already beat in April. Then there’s Alvarez, ranked No. 6, and firmly in the mix of the best 155-pounders in the world.

Melendez believes a win over Alvarez could earn him the top ranking.

“It would mean the world to me,” he said. “That’s my ultimate goal, to be number one in the world at 155. If I get there, I’ll be very happy. I’ve been working hard and I want to beat all these big names. Eddie Alvarez is one of them. I’m technically ranked above him in the rankings and I still want to fight the guy because I know he’s a tougher matchup. I’m not going to heel hook him in one minute like Shinya Aoki. I know that’s not what’s going to happen. It’s going to be a battle, it’s going to be a war. I’m not OK with just having the journalists put me number two. I really want to prove it myself. I want to beat the one through 10 on my own. I really want to beat them all.”

Without a matchup against Alvarez, Melendez doesn’t see a way he can become the No. 1 lightweight while fighting in Strikeforce.

“If I’m still with Strikeforce, I think that fight does need to happen,” Melendez said. “The only other way is if I move on and somehow I’m in the UFC fighting out there. If I beat Josh Thomson again, if I beat Shinya again, it’s not really going to do nothing for my status or to make my spot go up. … That’s why I want this fight.

But as far as the matchup, I'm leaning towards Eddie, his destuction of Huerta was super impressive. Though as has been noted it was Ed's leg kicks, not his boxing that was the biggest factor. And he seemed to want little part of Neer in the standup, I think Neer caught him early in that fight if I remember right. Kikuna was another fight where Eddie did not enjoy a major standp advantage that Eddie continually tried to bring to the ground. Kawajiri rocked Eddie pretty good.

So Im not buying into the Eddie will "outbox" Gil argument. Could he catch gil standing? could he take out his legs and then box him up, ala Huerta? Sure but I don't go into it seeing it as a huge tactical advantage.

In truth I can't figure where this fight will take place, both guys wrestle pretty well, both guys like to gn'p. Haven't seen too much of Gil off his back of late, but I have to figure hes a dangerous guy(the more dangerous of the 2) in that position.

What I see as Eddie's biggest edge is his strength/athleticism and aggressiveness. That is what Im basing my current prediction on, not sure in what area that adv will prove most effective, but I think somewhere in the fight it will.