Gilbert Melendez, former Strikeforce champion and someone who has challenged for the UFC title two times, will return to the octagon from a career-long layoff. He will definitely try to break a long losing streak. It is important to note that this fight may eventually decide whether his UFC career continues or not.
UFC has announced past Wednesday that Melendez (22-7 MMA, 1-5 UFC) and Arnold Allen (14-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) will go toe-to-toe in a featherweight fight in July at UFC 239.
UFC 239 will be taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 6th. It is a pay-per-view, but the prelims are expected to be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN +.
Melendez, 37, hasn’t competed since he suffered a severe leg injury in a loss to Jeremy Stephens in September 2017.
In an earlier interview with MMAJunkie, Melendez said the following :
“I think it’s important for me to succeed in my next fight,” Melendez said at the time. “It will be hard to go on if I don’t succeed. I really have to deliver. Even if I did come out with a victory, and I’m not happy with my performance, I’d probably have to consider everything.
“I need to succeed in this fight. If I do, that journey may continue. But if I don’t succeed, I can’t say forever-ever, but it’s definitely going to be time to step back for a long time.”