Strikeforce Champ Gilbert Melendez On MMA Live Tomorrow/Thursday on ESPN2

STRIKEFORCE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION GILBERT “EL NINO” MELENDEZ

TO APPEAR ON MMA LIVE ON ESPN2

TOMORROW/THURSDAY

WHO: STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez

WHERE:  ESPN2

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 16 at 1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT

WHAT: Interview on MMA LIVE tomorrow/Thursday on ESPN2

Melendez will appear as a guest panelist on the full episode of MMA LIVE on ESPN2 tomorrow/Thursday at 1 a.m. ET/10 p.m. PT.

Melendez (18-2), of San Francisco, successfully defended his 155-pound STRIKEFORCE title with a dominating unanimous decision over DREAM champion Shinya Aoki last April 17 on the CBS Television Network.

Melendez, a 28-year-old Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stylist, reclaimed the belt from the man who took it from him – Josh “The Punk” Thomson – with a five-round unanimous decision in one of the most ferocious battles of all time in the cage at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 19, 2009.  The stunning victory came just four months after Melendez avenged the only other defeat of his career by stopping Japanese wrestling ace Mitsuhiro “The Endless Fighter” Ishida with an onslaught of punches in the third round (3:56) of a rematch on Aug. 15, 2009.