ADCC 05 Gilbert Melendez Interview

“I want Pequeño.” Gilbert Melendez is a young fighter out of Cesar Gracie’s Academy in Concord, California. Melendez has amassed an undefeated record with all but one of his matches ending by knockout or referee stoppage. He has fought for such organizations like WEC in California and ROTR in Hawaii, but it is his last two fights for the Shooto organization that have really raised eyebrows...

Gilbert Melendez celebrates and hoists his training partner Jake Shields on to his shoulder. Both MMA fighters competed recently at the ADCC in California.

“I want Pequeño.”
Gilbert Melendez is a young fighter out of Cesar Gracie’s Academy in Concord, California. Melendez has amassed an undefeated record with all but one of his matches ending by knockout or referee stoppage. He has fought for such organizations like World Extreme Cagefighting in California and Rumble on the Rock in Hawaii, but it is his last two fights for the Japanese Shooto organization that have really raised eyebrows.

In his debut bout in Shooto, Melendez scored a decision win over the previously undefeated fighter Hiroyuki Takaya who was just coming off of a draw with the much-heralded Joao Roque and a devastating high kick knockout of Stephen Palling. In his second showing in Shooto, Melendez would face Naoya Uematsu. Melendez scored a quick knockdown early against Uematsu keeping the Japanese fighter at the end of his punches, then unleashed devastating ground and pound punches from the guard. Uematsu would survive and put Melendez in some trouble with an ’omaplata’ shoulder lock but Melendez overcame the hold and eventually pounded on Uematsu, punishing the Japanese fighter with hammer fists and forcing the bout to a halt after a blooding Uematsu’s nose and cutting his eyebrow.

Melendez amazingly competed for the first time in the Abu Dhabi World Submission Wrestling Championships on just two days notice. Melendez would face Abu Dhabi veteran Baret Yoshida in his first appearance. Yoshida dominated the bout early on, securing Melendez’s back and eventually sinking in a body triangle. Melendez fought to protect his neck but Yoshida would in due course, work his forearm under the chin and begin to apply the choke.

As Yoshida squeezed the choke, Melendez worked his way to his feet while Yoshida retained the position. Melendez then purposely crashed backwards onto the mat with Yoshida breaking his fall. Yoshida slowly but surely lost his hold as the slam knocked the wind out of him. Melendez then used his superior wrestling takedowns and scored points on consecutive double leg takedowns in overtime to take the win on points.

Melendez tried the same strategy of taking the match into overtime against Canadian Grappler Rob DiCenso. Melendez kept the score zero to zero but lost control of himself as he hastily shot in for a double leg takedown that DiCenso was able to withstand and reverse. DiCenso would maintain superior positioning and win on points ending Melendez’s Abu Dhabi experience.

MMA Ring Report talked with Melendez after his loss to DiCenso and conducted the following interview.

MMA Ring Report: We’re here with Gilbert Melendez a fighter out of the Cesar Gracie fighting camp. Gilbert, you have been fighting in Hawaii in the last couple of years and you just made a move over to the Shooto Organization. Do mind telling us about your experience over in Japan?

Gilbert Melendez: It’s been great so far. The UFC took out 155s so I made the move down to 143s. Shooto gave me an opportunity against their number one contender in Takaya, so I took advantage of it and things have been going well since then. Hopefully I’ll get a shot at Pequeño now. I think I’m in line. I think I deserve it. We’ll see, you know?

MMA Ring Report: Do you mind telling us a little bit about your last fight against Uematsu?

Gilbert Melendez: Uematsu is tough. He came at me, I did pretty well. I stood up with him and I tagged him pretty well. He had me in the omaplata for a while, but other than that I was able to control him. I’m in the best shape of my life, I’m improving everyday, fighting wise. I think it was a warm up match for me for Pequeño. It went pretty well.

Gilbert Melendez: Yeah, I’m 9-0. 8 TKO’s and 1 decision. I dropped him though, but they have a standing eight in Shooto.

Gilbert Melendez: Yeah, against Takaya, it was my first experience in Shooto and then Uematsu was my second fight.

MMA Ring Report: In the Abu Dhabi tournament you had a tough match against a very experienced opponent in Baret Yoshida. Can you tell us about that match?

Gilbert Melendez: It worked well for me because he likes to play his guard; I like to be on top. I’m a strong guy. I was able to take it to overtime and that’s where he couldn’t pull guard and I could be effective with my takedowns. So it worked out good, he is a tough opponent. It was exciting.

MMA Ring Report: He had you in a rear naked choke, how were you able to fight that off?

Gilbert Melendez: Jake Shields is a bad guy—a bad motherfucker, excuse me. He trains with me everyday and he gets my back all day and there was no way I was going to tap to a rear naked today. I can get in it a couple of times, but I’m not gonna tap to it. So that’s how I was able to get out of it. Jake does it to me all the time.

MMA Ring Report: I was talking to Baret prior to this interview and he said that you slammed him and knocked the wind out of him. Did you feel that you were able to turn the match at that point?

Gilbert Melendez: You know my dad told me, as soon as I slammed him; I took the wind out of him, like you said. I kind of felt it as well. I don’t know, it must have been after the slam that I started hearing him huffing and puffing a little more, like the air was out of him. So yeah, I think it did affect him and that’s when I was able to turn it up a little and keep a little more pressure and keep it even until overtime.

MMA Ring Report: And your second match, tell us about that one? Who was your opponent?

Gilbert Melendez: I don’t know some Canadian guy, just lanky and strong too. I made a big mistake. No points the first five minutes so I just tried to keep it zero to zero. My wrestling is better than that guy, I just wanted to take him down and control him. It backfired on me, I did a careless takedown. I kept driving and he reversed me and got on top. I lost position.

Gilbert Melendez: Yeah, just a loss on points. I felt like I was in better shape, if that fight was going to go on for an hour, I felt I would have won but they don’t go for an hour over here.

Gilbert Melendez: Yeah man, I found out two days ago. I had to cut about fourteen pounds for this. I wish I wasn’t partying so much last weekend. But it was an experience, and I had to take advantage of the opportunity. That’s what this is all about.

MMA Ring Report: Well, I think you made a great impression in your debut. Where do you go from here?

Gilbert Melendez: Like I said, I want Pequeño. I’m a fighter you know, not a grappler. This is just part of my arsenal; this is just going to help me get better at my jiu-jitsu. So Pequeño, watch out man, I’ve got jiu-jitsu too now.

MMA Ring Report: So you are going to have to look out for his guillotine choke, he is notorious for that.

Gilbert Melendez: Definitely, I’m definitely going to watch out for his guillotine choke. Everyone knows it comes and everyone knows its coming and everyone practices it but somehow he always gets it. So I’m working really hard at it and I’ve got a good game plan on him. I feel like I’m a smart fighter and I’ve got a smart game plan for him. I think I’m gonna be able to control him and dominate him.

Gilbert Melendez: The sports evolved, its Mixed Martial Arts now and I’m a Mixed Martial Artist. I’ve got standup now, I’ve got wrestling and I’ve got jiu-jitsu now. I think people haven’t evolved yet with the sport. People aren’t good enough in standup, people aren’t good enough in wrestling. People are one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and I think I’m three-dimensional now. I’m just improving in everything, in every aspect.

MMA Ring Report: Very good, Gilbert, we wish you the best of luck. We hope to hear big things from you upcoming in Japan and throughout the world. Thank you very much.

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