Gilbert Melendez vs Rodrigo Damm, now for the Strikeforce "Interim" Lightweight Championship

by Gunslinger20 on Apr 9, 2009 3:14 PM EDT Comment 4 comments

rom a story on MMA Junkie:

A proposed lightweight bout between Gilbert Melendez (14-2) and late replacement Rodrigo Damm (8-2) will earn the winner an interim Strikeforce world lightweight title.

The Melendez vs. Damm fight is scheduled for the night's televised main card, which is headlined by a bout between Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz at a catch-weight of 179 pounds.

Thomson defeated Melendez and took his belt in the summer of 2008. The rematch was scheduled for Strikeforce's debut on Showtime this weekend, but Thomson pulled out of the bout in late March and recently had surgery for a broken leg.

This is a definite twist to this Saturday's Strikeforce event. I guess Josh Thomson is going to be out for quite a while if Strikeforce is going this route. I don't know much about Rodrigo Damm but Gilbert Melendez is a serious player.... I would have rather seen him rematch Ishida, but this will be good.

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1) I think they expect JT to be out for a while with his broken let/foot, so they don’t want the belt to be inactive for that long. Also, JT is now developing the habit of getting hurt frequently now.

2) Melendez vs Damm is a really good fight, and if they can get Alvarez, Masdival, (possibly Noons) and Ishida involved in fights for the interim title until JT gets healed up, it will look very promising for the division.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Apr 9, 2009 3:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs