Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gilbert Melendez defends his title against Jorge Masvidal.
ROUND ONE: They feel each other out. Melendez bouncing on his feet as they circle cage center. Masvidal opens actions with a low leg kick. Melendez lands a pair of straights. Masvidal eats some short sharp shots. Masvidal lands a right. Melendez lands a hard right and makes Masvidal pay for taunting him. Masvidal lands to the body. Melendez lands twice in response. Masvidal lands a kick trip but a spinning Melendez recovers well. Masvidal lands some jabs. Hard leg kick is caught by Melendez. Knee to the face. Melendez looking for a guillotine, has it on tight! Masvidal gets out. Masvidal getting kneed puts one hand on the canvas. Melendez picks up the hand and gets back to firing knees. I cannot describe this action adequately! Incredible exchanges. MMA Nation scores it 10-9 for Gilbert Melendez.
ROUND TWO: Melendez bouncing and coiled. Masvidal with a leg kick. Melendez catches a jab from Melendez. Melendez catches a low kick and pastes Masvidal with a straight right. Melendez lands again with a crushing overhand left. 1-2 by Masvidal. Masvidal tagged and hurt. Melendez with a couple left hands. Masvidal not liking the leg kicks. Body kick from Melendez. Masvidal lands to the head. Melendez gets a mean revenge. Melendez sets up the uppercut with a fake take down. Masvidal lands while backing up. Crowd chanting "Nino" in support of Gilbert Melendez. Melendez pumping jabs. Melendez beautifully counters a jab with an overhand. Melendez in complete command after two rounds. MMA Nation scores it 10-9 Gilbert Melendez and 20-18 overall.
ROUND THREE: Melendez circling around and around but still the clear and dominant aggressor. Melendez is landing a variety of hard shots to the head. Masvidal bobbing his head but some of the bombs still land. Melendez is hammering nails into Masvidal's face. Despite landing hard shots, nothing Masvidal has tried is working. Melendez answers taunts with a 9 punch combination. Masvidal lands a coulpe of sharp jabs. Melendez showing brusing. They're trading hard shots. Melendez backing up Masvidal, avoiding his shots with head movement and coming forward and hurting the challenger. Masvidal tries a spinning back kick to end the round. Melendez wins again 30-27.
ROUND FOUR: Melendez landing jabs, following with two smacking hooks. Masvidal counter punches. Melendez jumping in behind a double jab/right hand. HARD 1-2 from the champ. Melendez has Masvidal completely timed and is picking him apart. Assault and battery at this point with Masvidal answering with jabs but way behind in strikes and damage. Another uneven trade of punches. Melendez is taking Masvidal's lunch money. Melendez habitually disrupting Masvidal's rhythm. MMA Nation scores it 40-36 for Melendez.
ROUND FIVE: No camera time for Melendez' corner at all between rounds. Melendez' face is red and battered, the challenger looks unscathed and yet the score going into the final round is completely one-sided, in Melendez' favor. Masvidal landing now and then but with no urgency. Masvidal eats a hard right. Melendez lands hard. Masvidal answers. They're hitting hard with Melendez getting by far the best of it and yet Masvidal is still landing hard shots. No one trying to get the fight to the ground ever. Melendez coasting home with The pace picks up, both man firing and landing hard shots. Masvidal finally forces some clinch fighting but gets no where. MMA Nation scores it 50-45 for Melendez.
Strikeforce Melendez vs. Masvidal Results: Gilbert Melendez defeats Jorge Masvidal by decision (50-45 x 2, 49-46)