Gilbert Melendez (20-2 MMA, 10-1 SF) and Josh Thomson (19-4 MMA, 10-2 SF) will soon settle a score.
Multiple sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that verbal agreements are in place for a rubber match between the current and former Strikeforce lightweight champ at "Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier," which takes place May 19 at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., and airs live on Showtime. (Preliminary-card fights air on Showtime Extreme.)
Additionally, a non-title light-heavyweight matchup between former champ Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (11-3 MMA, 4-2 SF) and Mike Kyle (19-8-1 MMA, 3-3-1 SF) is expected to take place.
Melendez had been rumored to fight a UFC import and had been linked at one point to former UFC champ B.J. Penn and Anthony Pettis, but the crossover fights did not materialize. Although UFC president Dana White opened the door for the possibility of current UFC fighters moving to Strikeforce, no major names have joined the Zuffa-owned promotion.
Thomson defeated Melendez in July 2008 to take the Strikeforce title before giving it back 17 months later in a rematch. The American Kickboxing Academy fighter most recently defeated onetime welterweight title challenger K.J. Noons, which put him into contention for another shot at the lightweight champ.
Melendez, who's one of the top fighters not currently fighting in the UFC, made his third consecutive title defense with a unanimous-decision victory over Jorge Masvidal in December. He's now 7-1 in his past eight fights. The lone loss came in a 2008 title fight with Thomson, though Melendez avenged the defeat a year later as part of his current six-fight win streak.
Cavalcante returned to action this past September after losing his belt to now-UFC fighter Dan Henderson in March 2011. He defeated Yoel Romero Palacio by second-round TKO at "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov."
The May 19 fight serves as a chance for Cavalcante to avenge a knockout loss to Kyle in his Strikeforce debut, which came in July 2009.
Kyle is getting back on the horse after he was forced to withdraw from a fight with former champ Gegard Mousasi this past month at "Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey." His most recent Strikeforce appearance came in September 2011 when he outpointed Marcos Rogerio de Lima at "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov," which followed a knockout loss to Antonio Silva in December 2010.
Source: Melendez vs. Thomson III, Kyle vs. Cavalcante targeted for Strikeforce's May event