Strikeforce’s top draws Melendez, Santos take different paths to wins
SAN DIEGO -- With all of the defections to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Gilbert Melendez and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos quite clearly are the most dominant champions remaining in Strikeforce.
Both champions retained their belts on the card at Valley View Casino Center on Saturday night, though they did so in very different fashion.
Melendez took more punishment than he probably would have liked in winning a five-round unanimous decision over Jorge Masvidal. The lightweight champion's face was swollen, puffy and bloody, but he walked out of the cage with the belt by methodically picking Masvidal apart in a fight contested almost exclusively on the feet.
"This guy was one of the toughest matchups for me, and I beat him at his own game," Melendez said.
Word came down this week that Melendez would remain in Strikeforce for the foreseeable future and not follow some of the organization's biggest stars over to the UFC, which now owns the league.
Melendez said that is just fine, but welcomes tougher competition.
"I'm proud to be a part of Strikeforce," he said. "They need to bring some guys over here to challenge me. Bring the UFC champ over here and let's do it."
Santos had a far less laborious effort in retaining the women's featherweight belt.
Fighting for the first time in 18 months after a contract dispute, the top female fighter in the world needed just 16 seconds to knock out an overmatched Hiroko Yamanaka.
Also, Gegard Mousasi and KJ Noons each picked up unanimous decision victories.
Mousasi, the former light heavyweight champion, controlled Ovince St. Preux for most of the first two rounds to earn the favor of all three judges. The win puts Mousasi in the discussion to fight for the title vacated by Dan Henderson when he moved back to the UFC.
St. Preux, who had his eight-fight winning streak snapped, is the brother of former UNLV wide receiver Renan St. Preux.
Noons rallied to defeat Billy Evangelista after dropping the first round on all three scorecards.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.
