Earlier this week, it was announced that former two-time Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez had been released from the UFC.
Melendez, who fought Benson Henderson for the UFC lightweight title back in 2013, is on a five-fight losing streak and hasn’t won a fight since UFC 166, which saw ‘El Nino’ beat Diego Sanchez in a Fight of the Night classic at Houston’s Toyota Center. Melendez tested positive for ‘for exogenous origin of testosterone metabolites’ in 2015 and was suspended for one year.
Following his release, Melendez issued the following statement to ESPN, where he claimed to have left the UFC on great terms.