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Gilbert Melendez vs. Eddie Alvarez, Tecia Torres vs. Angela Hill highlight new additions to UFC 188
A trio of new fights have been added to the UFC’s sophomore visit to Mexico City, highlighted by a sizzling co-main event bout between lightweight rivals Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez. The UFC confirmed the bout on Monday following an initial report by Mexican outlet Indiscutido.
As former respective champions of Strikeforce and Bellator, Alvarez (25-4) and Melendez (22-4) have been angling for a fight for several years, dating back to the infancy of Bellator and former CEO Bjorn Rebney’s desire to co-promote a show with Strikeforce. The rivalry renewed once again earlier this month, when both Melendez and Alvarez appeared in separate interviews on The MMA Hour to challenge each other to settle their differences, during which Alvarez referred to Melendez as “the high school cheerleader (who’s) always trying to s*ck off the quarterback.”
“If he’s not making headlines, he’ll say he wants to fight the guy who is,” Alvarez said. “He always would talk about me. I just lost, but when I was on a streak and doing well, whenever I would do well, right away, well Gilbert wants to fight me. I didn’t do so well? ‘Oh, I think he lost a step. I don’t want to fight him right now.’ I don’t know. I don’t know about this guy.”
Now they’ll get their chance, with both Melendez, 32, and Alvarez, 31, looking to rebound from recent losses. Melendez dropped his UFC record to a disappointing 1-2 mark this past December, getting stopped for the first time in his career in a failed title bid against champ Anthony Pettis. Alvarez, likewise, fell short in his long-awaited UFC debut, losing a unanimous decision to Donald Cerrone in September.
UFC 188 takes place June 13 at the Mexico City Arena in Mexico City, Mexico.
A trio of new fights have been added to the UFC’s sophomore visit to Mexico City, highlighted by a sizzling co-main event bout between lightweight rivals Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez. The UFC confirmed the bout on Monday following an initial report by Mexican outlet Indiscutido.
As former respective champions of Strikeforce and Bellator, Alvarez (25-4) and Melendez (22-4) have been angling for a fight for several years, dating back to the infancy of Bellator and former CEO Bjorn Rebney’s desire to co-promote a show with Strikeforce. The rivalry renewed once again earlier this month, when both Melendez and Alvarez appeared in separate interviews on The MMA Hour to challenge each other to settle their differences, during which Alvarez referred to Melendez as “the high school cheerleader (who’s) always trying to s*ck off the quarterback.”
“If he’s not making headlines, he’ll say he wants to fight the guy who is,” Alvarez said. “He always would talk about me. I just lost, but when I was on a streak and doing well, whenever I would do well, right away, well Gilbert wants to fight me. I didn’t do so well? ‘Oh, I think he lost a step. I don’t want to fight him right now.’ I don’t know. I don’t know about this guy.”
Now they’ll get their chance, with both Melendez, 32, and Alvarez, 31, looking to rebound from recent losses. Melendez dropped his UFC record to a disappointing 1-2 mark this past December, getting stopped for the first time in his career in a failed title bid against champ Anthony Pettis. Alvarez, likewise, fell short in his long-awaited UFC debut, losing a unanimous decision to Donald Cerrone in September.
UFC 188 takes place June 13 at the Mexico City Arena in Mexico City, Mexico.
