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DENVER, CO - AUGUST 11: Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez and Tareq Azim attends UFC 150 inside Pepsi Center on August 11, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photos by Zuffa LLC)

Gilbert Melendez

TRAINING: I like to do two a days, which consist of a run, a lift, and striking, sparring, grappling, and wrestling sessions.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I started training for fighting, maybe unconsciously, since high school wrestling. I’ve always liked one on one competition, and it wasn’t until I was in college that I picked up MMA because my friend Jake Shields introduced me to it. It’s a great feeling to have no one to blame but yourself, and there’s no better high than being a dominant fighter. You can beat me in basketball, you can beat me at arm wrestling, but I can beat your ass.

What ranks and titles have you held? Two-time and current Strikeforce lightweight champion, former WEC lightweight champion. Brown belt in jiu-jitsu under Cesar Gracie

Do you have any heroes? My father and my teammates

What does it mean for you to fight in STRIKEFORCE? It means the world to me to be able to display my skills out there and Strikeforce has allowed me to prove that I’m a top-ranked fighter. It’s allowed me to get into the top three in the world and it means a lot to me. It’s the place where I got started, so I’m very grateful for Strikeforce.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I did go to SF State, but I did not get my degree. I started pursuing fighting and working a job, and it was too hard to juggle all three, and fighting had to be first. I was studying liberal arts and anticipating becoming a teacher and coaching high school wrestling. I never got there but I think I may go back.

What was your job before you started fighting? I was a waiter and I also worked at the Fairtex gear shop, where I packed all the gloves and bags and sent them to plenty of gyms. A lot of people who got gear about five or six years ago from Fairtex had it sent by me.

Specific accomplishments in pro competition? I beat the Dream (Shinya Aoki), Shooto (Tatsuya Kawajiri), and Deep (Nobuhiro Obiya) champions when they were the champs.

Favorite grappling technique: Rear naked choke and takedowns

Favorite Striking technique: I like a three hit combo and I also like to land the right hand.