A super-fight between Strikeforce’s lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez and Bellator’s lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez appears to be closer to becoming a reality.
Only a few hours after officials from Bellator Fighting Championships released a statement campaigning for a match-up between their lightweight champ, Eddie Alvarez, and Strikeforce lightweight title-holder Gilbert Melenedez. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he’s open to co-promoting the champion vs. champion fight.
“If the stars align and we can work out all the terms and conditions and timing, we’d do it,” Coker told MMAjunkie.com. “Of course we would. Why wouldn’t we? Let’s go do this.”
Gilbert Melendez has been talking about a fight with Alvarez since before his fight with Japanese star Shinya Aoki last month in Nashville. Talk of the fight surfaced again on Friday when Melendez appeared on HDNet’s “Inside MMA” program.
“I think he’s an amazing fighter, and that’s why I call out Eddie Alvarez,” Melendez said. “Let’s unify those titles. I’d love to fight that guy and test myself. I think if I could beat him, I could be No. 1 and vice versa.”
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney is also a supporter of the proposed fight.
“I will do everything I can to get Gilbert what he asked for,” Rebney stated. “Gilbert wants the fight, Eddie wants the fight, and I want the fight. All we have to do is get Scott Coker on board, and together, we can make this happen. Eddie wants to fight the best, and Gilbert wants to fight the best, and there is no reason why any promoter or network should stand in the way of that.”
Rebney and Coker will have to get together to iron out the final details and make the fight official. Such a fight would be a great addition to a potential Strikeforce return to CBS this fall.
