UFC On FOX 20: Road To The Octagon Full Video

The UFC’s packed summer of action continues on with this weekend’s (Sat., July 23, 2016) UFC on FOX 20 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, which features a pivotal women’s bantamweight battle between former champion Holly Holm and rising contender Valentina Shevchenko. The UFC released the Road to the Octagon video segments for the

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The UFC’s packed summer of action continues on with this weekend’s (Sat., July 23, 2016) UFC on FOX 20 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, which features a pivotal women’s bantamweight battle between former champion Holly Holm and rising contender Valentina Shevchenko.

The UFC released the Road to the Octagon video segments for the card’s three main bouts, starting with Holm vs. Shevchenko:

Another fight with dire implications will take place in the co-main event when surging striking specialist Edson Barboza meets returning former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez, who has a lot to prove coming off a one-year suspension for a fail drug test following his UFC 188 loss to current UFC 155-pound boss Eddie Alvarez:

In the third bout chronicled on Road to the Octagon, fan favorite women’s strawweight contender Felice Herrig will return to the octagon after more than a year off against touted but raw prospect Kailin Curran:

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Gilbert Melendez Looking Forward, Not Back After Failed Drug Test

Former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez knows he let a lot of people down.

Melendez, an ex-UFC title contender, will return to action for the first time in over a year this July when he meets Edson Barboza at UFC on FOX 20. “El Nino” was suspen…

gilbert-melendez

Former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez knows he let a lot of people down.

Melendez, an ex-UFC title contender, will return to action for the first time in over a year this July when he meets Edson Barboza at UFC on FOX 20. “El Nino” was suspended after failing a post-fight drug test.

The fighter appeared on Monday’s edition of “The MMA Hour” but did not want to divulge into the failed test for the most part.

“I really don’t want to go down a rabbit hole or anything like that. I made a mistake that won’t happen again, and I’m not proud of it,” Melendez said (thanks to MMAFighting.com for the quotes). “If I’m doing my best to move on from it, and I’m hoping everyone else can, and it’s understandable if they can’t.

“But I just want to do everything in my power to prove that I am still a warrior and I’m a great fighter and just wanting to move forward, to be honest.”

The 34-year-old Melendez (22-5) has lost three of his last four, with two of them being split decision defeats at the hands of Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis. Both of those fights were for the UFC lightweight championship.

Anthony Johnson vs. Glover Teixeira Rumored For UFC Chicago

Top UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira made a splash when he called out fellow former title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson following his electric first-round knockout of former champion Rashad Evans in the main event of April 16’s UFC on FOX 19 from Tampa, Florida. And while “Rumble” may be looking for his next title shot

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Top UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira made a splash when he called out fellow former title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson following his electric first-round knockout of former champion Rashad Evans in the main event of April 16’s UFC on FOX 19 from Tampa, Florida.

And while “Rumble” may be looking for his next title shot after two straight knockouts over Ryan Bader and Jimi Manuwa following his failed title bid against current champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 187, it appears as if UFC President Dana White is coming through on his statement that Johnson vs. Teixeira ‘interests him,’ as it was revealed on UFC Tonight that the bout is being targeted for July 23’s UFC on FOX 20 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Both fighters come in with a ton of momentum from their recent win streaks, with Johnson having the aforementioned two straight victories to run his UFC record to an impressive 5-1 since returning to the promotion in April 2014, while Teixeira has scored three straight finishes over Ovince Saint Preux, Patrick Cummins, and Evans after a two-fight slide against Jon Jones and Phil Davis.

The fight will join the rumored Holly Holm vs. Valentina Shevchenko women’s bantamweight main event and the reported lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and Gilbert Melendez.

So UFC on FOX 20 could potentially feature a bout for the next light heavyweight title fight from The United Center. Who would you pick in this match-up of lethal 205-pound knockout sluggers?

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Report: Gilbert Melendez-Edson Barboza In The Works For This Summer

According to a report out of Brazil by Globo, lightweights Gilbert Melendez and Edson Barboza are on deck to square off this July.

The two would meet in Chicago at UFC on FOX 20, the report states.

Melendez (22-5) has been out of action since las…

gilbert-melendez

According to a report out of Brazil by Globo, lightweights Gilbert Melendez and Edson Barboza are on deck to square off this July.

The two would meet in Chicago at UFC on FOX 20, the report states.

Melendez (22-5) has been out of action since last June when he suffered a split decision loss to current title contender Eddie Alvarez. The former Strikeforce champion tested positive for a banned substance following the fight, resulting in a year-long suspension.

Barboza (17-4) earned the biggest win of his career last month, scoring a decision victory over Anthony Pettis.

Report: Gilbert Melendez vs. Edson Barboza Targeted For UFC Chicago

According to Combate, an intriguing lightweight showdown could be taking place this summer. The report indicates that the UFC is targeting a bout between former Strikeforce champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez and dangerous Muay Thai striker Edson “Junior” Barboza for UFC on FOX 20 which is slated for July 23, 2016 from Chicago, Illinois. Melendez,

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According to Combate, an intriguing lightweight showdown could be taking place this summer.

The report indicates that the UFC is targeting a bout between former Strikeforce champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez and dangerous Muay Thai striker Edson “Junior” Barboza for UFC on FOX 20 which is slated for July 23, 2016 from Chicago, Illinois.

Melendez, a former two-time UFC title challenger, is only 1-3 in his Octagon career, coming up short in both attempts at divisional supremacy. “El Nino” hasn’t competed since a June 2015 split-decision loss to current title challenger Eddie Alvarez in Mexico.

After the bout with Alvarez, it was made clear that Melendez had tested positive for performance-enhancing-drugs (PEDs), leading the promotion to hand him a one-year suspension.

Barboza, on the other hand, is coming off of the biggest victory of his career, as he recently battered former champion Anthony Pettis at April 23’s UFC 197 to earn an impressive unanimous decision victory.

“Junior” is one of the most lethal strikers in the 155-pound weight class, and he should provide an intriguing test to see where Melendez is at after the time off.

For Melendez, this bout would be a chance to prove that he still ranks amongst the division’s elite.

Stay tuned as more news becomes available regarding UFC on FOX 20.

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UFC 197 Medical Suspensions: Jon Jones Receives Six-Month Sit

It looks like the long-awaited Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones rematch to unify the light heavyweight titles will have to wait and headline another card other than July 9’s UFC 200 from Las Vegas. News came today that Jones will potentially be on the sidelines for six months pending an x-ray on his left foot

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It looks like the long-awaited Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones rematch to unify the light heavyweight titles will have to wait and headline another card other than July 9’s UFC 200 from Las Vegas.

News came today that Jones will potentially be on the sidelines for six months pending an x-ray on his left foot after his one-sided decision win over Ovince Saint Preux in the main event of last Saturday’s tonight’s (Sat., April 23, 2016) UFC 197 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, also in Las Vegas.

Jones was spotted with the injury backstage, but insisted he was perfectly fine at the event’s post-fight presser. He could be cleared by an orthopedic doctor even if his x-ray is positive; however, if it is not, Jones will be out of action until October 21, 2016.

Featuring two title fights and a number of wild bouts, UFC 197 resulted in a rather lengthy medical suspension list including St. Preux, who also received a full six-month sit for a broken left ulna. The full UFC 197 medical suspensions are as follows courtesy of MMA Fighting:

Jon Jones: Must have left foot x-rayed, if positive then requires clearance by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 10/21
Ovince Saint Preux: Must have broken left ulna cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 06/08, no contact until 05/24
Rafael Natal: Must have nasal fracture cleared by doctor or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 06/08, no contact until 05/24
Robert Whittaker: Must have right hand x-rayed, if positive then requires clearance by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 05/24, no contact until 05/15
Andre Fili: Must have left inferior orbital wall fracture cleared by oral, maxillofacial surgeon or ophthalmologist or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 06/08, no contact until 05/24
Sergio Pettis: Must have right hand x-rayed, if positive then requires clearance by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 10/21
Danny Roberts: Must have left foot cleared by orthopedic doctor or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 06/08, no contact until 05/24
Glaico Franca: Must have ophthalmological exam; must also have nasal fracture cleared by doctor or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 06/23, no contact until 06/08
Cody East: Must have nasal fracture cleared by ENT doctor or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 06/08, no contact until 05/24
Walt Harris: Must have right hand x-rayed, if positive then requires clearance by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 10/21; minimum suspension no contest until 05/24, no contact until 05/15
Henry Cejudo: Suspended until 06/08, no contact until 05/24
Clint Hester: Suspended until 06/08, no contact until 05/24
Anthony Pettis: Suspended until 05/24, no contact until 05/15 due to right eyebrow cut
Chris Kelades: Suspended until 05/24, no contact until 05/15 due to facial abrasions
Juliana Lima: Suspended until 05/24, no contact until 05/15
Dominique Steele: Needs yearly eye examination to follow possibility of glaucoma, due 03/22/17

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