Gilbert Melendez
Active 2013–present · rated in 1 edition · peak overall 85.0
Scouting report
As the longtime Strikeforce Lightweight Champion and a staple of Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez provided championship experience throughout his career. Born in Santa Ana, California, Melendez engaged in five-round UFC championship fights behind high-volume pocket boxing and takedown defense. His style relied upon a 90 Cardio engine and 86 Boxing.
Peak ratings
Gilbert Melendez, the Strikeforce champion who fought like a pressure cooker
Gilbert Melendez came out of Cesar Gracie's camp in Northern California and spent years as the Strikeforce lightweight champion before moving to the top promotion in 2013. His first fight there was a title challenge against Benson Henderson, which he lost on the scorecards. What made him dangerous was volume: short combinations in the pocket, a lot of head movement, and takedowns when the striking slowed. He is a good pick if you want a lightweight who gets better as a fight gets longer.
Melendez, one rating at a time
Boxing. Pocket boxing is his base. He throws in bunches and rarely stops after one punch.
Kickboxing. Serviceable, and one of his lowest numbers. He used kicks to break rhythm more than to hurt anyone.
Wrestling. Good for a man who mostly wanted to box. He mixed in takedowns to steal rounds and rest his hands.
BJJ. A Cesar Gracie product, so it is a real skill. It works best as insurance when a scramble breaks out.
Strength. Fine at lightweight but not a factor. He wins with pace and not with force.
Durability. He can take a hard shot and keep coming forward, and he has fought a lot of five-round fights.
Cardio. The top of his card. He was built for the championship distance and stays busy late.
Fight IQ. He reads exchanges well and adjusts between rounds, which is how a pressure fighter avoids walking onto counters.
Cardio is his best attribute
At 90 his cardio sits above everything else on the card. In a simulated fight that stretches into the late rounds, that matters more than one big strike. He keeps the same output in round five as in round one, and opponents who gambled early often faced a fighter still throwing at full speed. Draft him if your lineup relies on wearing people down.
Kickboxing and Strength share the low spot
Both sit at 80, which is still respectable, but neither wins fights on its own. He does not hurt people with kicks, and he does not have the raw force to push a bigger lightweight around. A long striker who keeps him at the end of the jab can blunt his pace, so check your other picks for reach.
Keep exploring
Closest lightweight profiles to Gilbert Melendez, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Eddie Alvarezbest boxing 90 · weakest bjj 78
- Jorge Masvidalbest cardio 88 · weakest strength 78
- Al Iaquintabest boxing 86 · weakest bjj 76
- Jim Millerbest cardio 88 · weakest kickboxing 76
- Lightweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Gilbert Melendez's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Gilbert Melendez into your build
Gilbert Melendez enters the pool on any spin landing on lightweight between 2014 and 2015. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Gilbert Melendez is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Gilbert Melendez's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.