UFC Featherweight Jeremy Stephens wants to welcome former Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez to the featherweight division.
NEW: The @UFC's @LiLHeathenMMA wants to scrap it out with @GilbertMelendez at 145!
What do you think of the potential matchup? ? pic.twitter.com/8usHSNQ80K
— FOX Sports: PROcast (@PROcast) January 25, 2017
“I’m looking forward to fighting around March or April,” Stephens said. “I’m looking to solidify my spot in the top 10. Take on all newcomers. Fans have been screaming, ‘Gilbert Melendez is dropping to 145 pounds.’ He’s an old-school veteran. A legend in my eyes. So we should scrap it out. If he wants to come down to 145, that would be a phenomenal fight.”
Melendez is moving down to the featherweight division after losing his last three fights as a lightweight in the UFC. He is coming off losses to Edson Barboza and former UFC champions Eddie Alvarez and Gilbert Melendez.
Melendez has one UFC win over Diego Sanchez. In Strikeforce, he picked up notable wins over Clay Guida, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Shinya Aoki, Jorge Masvidal, and Josh Thomson.
Stephens is coming off a decision loss to Frankie Edgar in November. He has notable featherweight wins in the UFC over Darren Elkins, Dennis Bermudez, and former UFC Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao.
