Gilbert Melendez vs. Eddie Alvarez, two more bouts added to UFC 188
UFC 188 in Mexico City, Mexico has added a trio of new bouts, including a main event grudge match as Gilbert Melendez meets Eddie Alvarez in a long-awaited lightweight showdown.
Melendez and Alvarez first starting dancing around the idea of facing each other several years go while in separate promotions. Melendez was the Strikeforce lightweight champion and early discussions were held about facing Alvarez, who held a title in a different promotion, but ultimately the fight never came together.
The disdain shared between the two fighters never went away, however, and now Melendez and Alvarez will finally face off in a co-main event bout headed for Mexico.
"If he walks around and he's by my side, he better be careful because it's on. It's definitely on," Melendez said about Alvarez when speaking to FOX Sports in 2014.
In addition to the fight between Melendez and Alvarez, No. 5 ranked strawweight fighter Tecia Torres will get back in action on the card facing former Ultimate Fighter teammate Angela Hill, who is currently sitting at No. 13 in the world.
Torres was an early favorite to win this past season of The Ultimate Fighter and while she did come up short, the fiery American Top Team competitor put on a stellar performance in her UFC debut with a win over Angela Magana.
Hill currently only has two professional fights on her record, but she's a top prospect in the division coming from a Muay Thai striking background with heavy hands and some of the nastiest kicks in the division. She made short work of Emily Kagan in her UFC debut and now she takes a decided step up in competition to face Torres in June.
The final fight announced for the card is a welterweight contest between Irish favorite Cathal Pendred, who tries to improve upon his 3-0 record in the UFC as he faces local star Augusto 'Dodger' Montano, who defeated Chris Heatherly by TKO in his first fight in the Octagon.
The three new bouts added on Monday are in addition to the main event pitting heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez against interim title holder Fabricio Werdum in the UFC 188 headline fight.
