Alvarez

By FCF Staff

Recently it looked like Gilbert Melendez might throw down with Bellator’s top lightweights over the coming months, until the renowned fighter re-signed with the UFC and was booked to fight Anthony Pettis. While the new deal will ensure Melendez remains in the bright UFC spotlight, Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez evidently believes the former Strikeforce champ is ducking him.

Alvarez attended a photo shoot Tuesday in Los Angeles to promote his May 17th fight with Michael Chandler, and was asked by MMA Fighting.com about Melendez’s new UFC deal. Here is some of what he had to say:

“He didn’t want come here,” Alvarez said. “Gilbert doesn’t want to come anywhere where I’m at. Gilbert don’t ever want to sign with a company where I’m at.”

Alvarez went on to claim that Melendez also had the opportunity to fight him in a DREAM tournament, but declined, before calling the former Strikeforce champ a “phony.” Alvarez also argued that Melendez knows he’s a “bad fight for him.”

Melendez is currently the UFC’s #2 ranked lightweight, and the only man to defeat him since 2008 is former champ Benson Henderson.