Bellator makes contract offer to Melendez - UFC Now Holds Right to Match

Bellator & Gilbert Melendez Agree on Structure to Bring Top Lightweight To Bellator
Fri, 02.14.2014



UFC Now Holds Right to Match Offer

Newport Beach, Calif. (February 14, 2014) – At 22-3, Gilbert Melendez sits atop the UFC’s lightweight division. With victories over Josh Thomson, Diego Sanchez, Shinya Aoki and Jorge Masvidal, “El Nino” is ready for a new crop of challengers as the Santa Ana native has agreed to a multi-fight, multi-year deal structure with Bellator that can pit Melendez against some of MMA’s best, including Eddie Alvarez, Michael Chandler, Will Brooks, Dave Jansen and a host of top lightweights from around the world.

“The moment Gil was legally able to explore the free agent market, Gil’s management team reached out to me and we began figuring out how to bring Gil to Bellator,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “It’s no secret that I’ve been a big “El Nino” fan for many years. Gil was one of the first fighters I tried to sign when I launched Bellator back in 2008, and he’s grown and developed into one of the best and most exciting lightweights on earth.  Gil has a vision for what he wants to accomplish both inside and outside the cage and we can help make his vision a reality.  We are in the business of developing and showcasing the greatest fighters on earth. That’s what we intend to do here with Gil and it’s what we’ll continue to do in the future.”

The UFC currently holds matching rights on Melendez.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA           

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 140 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom.  In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 175 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes.  Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.


http://www.bellator.com/articles/bellator-gilbert-melendez-agree-on-structure-to-bring-top-lightweight-to-bellator

hope this really happens. Screw ZUFFA.

Glad he called Dana's bluff. Wish more top guys would. It's a win-win for Gil cause he's getting paid.

Oh this gonna get good  

Huge news. Let's hope it all works out for Bellator and Gil!

LOL, this has NOT been a good week for Dana and the UFC.

 

The moment Melendez tells zoofa to go fuck themselves and sign for Bellator, then I will have to celebrate. But then here's hoping he doesn't cave in and stays with them.

@GilbertMelendez won't be punked by @danawhite if not careful our other guys will be leaving @ufc for @BellatorMMA
— Cesar Gracie (@CesarGracieBJJ) February 15, 2014

Here's hoping that Melendez signs with Bellator

Bellator already has a great lightweight division including two of the current best. Melendez would be a huge addition, if this goes through.

nodogoshi wrote:Bellator already has a great lightweight division including two of the current best. Melendez would be a huge addition, if this goes through.

agreed

this is a great move by bellator....this is a beast in his prime not a falling star!!

i would always wanted to see alvarez vs melendez well see. either way vs chandler should be alot of fun also

nodogoshi wrote:Bellator already has a great lightweight division including two of the current best. Melendez would be a huge addition, if this goes through.

Exactly what I would've said. UFC's Lightweight division has never really been the best. Japan always had the upper hand well into the new millennium and the Strikeforce accumulated a lot of talent quickly and Bellator had the perfect guy to build around in Eddie Alvarez. I didn't truly consider UFC's LW division to be the best until Melendez signed. Just look at what's left in LW excluding him? A relatively inexperienced cast of fighters.

wekka wrote:

nodogoshi wrote:Bellator already has a great lightweight division including two of the current best. Melendez would be a huge addition, if this goes through.

Exactly what I would've said. UFC's Lightweight division has never really been the best. Japan always had the upper hand well into the new millennium and the Strikeforce accumulated a lot of talent quickly and Bellator had the perfect guy to build around in Eddie Alvarez. I didn't truly consider UFC's LW division to be the best until Melendez signed. Just look at what's left in LW excluding him? A relatively inexperienced cast of fighters.

That's very true and personally, a lot of them just don't interest me. Outside of Pettis, Khabilov, and Nurmagomedov, I don't really have any interest in anybody else at LW (assuming Gil does leave).

Sounds like Thomson may retire and I've never really gave a crap about Cerrone, Bendo, Grant, etc.

Hope he ends up in Bellator. Would be a huge move in the advancement of non-Zuffa mma.

TeamJohnPerretti wrote:Hope he ends up in Bellator. Would be a huge move in the advancement of non-Zuffa mma.

 

I hope Gil either gets the money he deserves or some freedom.

Eddie, Chandler, and Melendez all in Bellator would be unreal.  Some great fights to make there.  Bellator would have one hell of a LW division with Brooks, Sarnavskiy, Held in there as well.