Boxing fans wanted years till they finally got to see Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather inside the ring.
Now, mixed martial arts fans don’t have to wait for a fight many fans have wanted to see: Eddie Alvarez (25-4) versus Gilbert Melendez (22-4).
Alvarez and Melendez will be part of the UFC 188 fight card in Mexico City. The night’s main event is Cain Velasquez versus Fabricio Verdum to unify the heavyweight title.
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A few years ago, Melendez asked to fight Alvarez. But both men were in different promotions, Melendez was part of Strikefore and Alvarez was part of Bellator.
“When he mentioned that for the first time I called my promoter immediately which was Bjorn Rebney at the time I asked Bjorn if he can make that happen for me. He was happy to. We kept trying to call Scott Coker he dodged Bjorn’s call. I called out Scott Coker on a live MMA TV show. I talked to Scott on my own. I was trying to get the fight. I was proactive about getting the fight I think Gilbert was more talking about it.”
Both Melendez and Alvarez are coming off defeats He says fans can expect a war.
“He fights with great sprits,” he said. “We do a lot of the same things. We have a lot of the same attributes. It’s a going to be a spiritual battle instead town vs town. It will be a spirited fight that will come down to who wants its more. Those fights are fun favorites.”
