HOUSTON – There have been strong indications that Gilbert Melendez's run in Strikeforce is over and that his UFC run is just beginning.
Following Saturday's UFC on Versus 6 event, UFC president Dana White said he wanted the lightweight champ in the UFC "ASAP," which prompted speculation that Melendez's headliner with Jorge Masvidal at a December Strikeforce event had been dissolved pending his imminent departure for the octagon.
Masvidal and his representatives say the bout – which is set for Dec. 17 at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego – is still a go, and while White said today that he isn't sure when Melendez will make the jump.
It could happen at any time, he said.
"I've got to run my business, so if I have to yank him over here, I'll do it," White told MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) following a press conference for UFC 136, which takes place Saturday at Houston's Toyota Center.
Of course, UFC 136's headliner – a highly anticipated rematch between lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard – is set to clear the way for the next lightweight contender, and Melendez is on a long list of possibilities, according to White.
UFC parent company Zuffa LLC in March purchased Strikeforce. Since then, two Strikeforce champions have made their way to the octagon: welterweight champion Nick Diaz, who is scheduled to meet B.J. Penn at UFC 127, and heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, who meets ex-champ Brock Lesnar at UFC 141.
Melendez, meanwhile, often has spoken about his desire to fight in the UFC, and in kind, White has expressed his interest in welcoming the champ to the industry-leading promotion.
"Gilbert's one of the top guys in the world, no doubt about it," White said in April prior to UFC 129. "I love that kid."
"I'm excited for the day when we can make these fights happen."
It appears that day is drawing closer with every passing month. Strikeforce broadcast partner Showtime's deadline to continue with a five-year broadcast deal inked in February 2009 is "now," according to White, and the future of the promotion likely rests on that decision.
White said UFC executive and co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta met with Showtime executives on Tuesday but said he didn't know how the meeting went and declined to discuss it further.
"I'm not involved with that thing," White said. "I have a conference call with Lorenzo right after this press conference, so I'll know then."
Because of that uncertainty, White is hesitant to lay out a roadmap for Melendez's apparently inevitable transition to the UFC.
"If we bring Gilbert over, Gilbert could get a title shot once this thing's put to rest," he said. "Makes sense. And it's all timing. We have to see what happens. After this fight, hopefully these guys don't get hurt. You just never know. There's so many factors.
"If that's the case, then a guy like Gilbert comes over here, and we give him a tune-up fight, which probably isn't a bad idea.
"The thing is, even (with) a guy like Gilbert coming over, you guys have seen it for 10 years. I don't care how dominant or how great a guy is, the first time they fight in the UFC, man, it's crazy. It's happened to everybody: Jake Shields, Carlos Condit when he first came over here, and the list goes on and on of great fighters who've dominated in other places (and) they get a little knock-kneed when they fight in the UFC for the first time."
For now, there isn't a first time to speak of. White is waiting on word from Showtime. But when conditions are right, Melendez will fight in the UFC.
Source: UFC prez on Strikeforce champ Melendez: "If I have to yank him over here, I'll do it"
