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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez fought Josh Thomson last month for a third time, and after picking up his second win in those three fights, he's lacking in legitimate challengers in the organization.
According to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, his next opponent is probably going to be Pat Healy, provided he gets past Mizuto Hirota in July. But after that, Coker wants to see soon-to-be-free-agent Eddie Alvarez to come into the organization for that fight.
"By the time Gilbert fights again, either we're going to sign somebody to come in and fight him or we're going to take another look at Pat and see if he's the right guy," Coker said in an interview with Ariel Helwani at MMAFighting.com (transcribed by MMAMania.com).
"Come on over to Strikeforce, Eddie, let's do the Melendez fight. That would be fantastic. I think that he's a guy who is extremely talented that we would love to have in Strikeforce to fight Gilbert. It would be great... If he is a free agent and he is really free of any contractual relations, make the call. Eddie, come on down, let's put the Melendez fight together."
Penick's Analysis: Of course Coker would love to see Alvarez fight Melendez, but if and when he does become a free agent, he's not going to Strikeforce. Alvarez will be UFC-bound once his Bellator run is up, and Melendez will continue to be held without marquee opponents in Strikeforce. Pat Healy's a solid lightweight fighter, and will be a decent challenge for Melendez, but that's not going to do anything for Melendez and his claims as one of the best lightweights in the world. Until Melendez's Strikeforce contract is finished, or until Strikeforce is no more - whichever comes first - that's going to continue to be the case.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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