Former Strikeforce champion and two-time UFC title challenger Gilbert Melendez will return from a career-long layoff this summer hoping to snap a long losing streak.
The fight could determine whether or not his UFC career continues.
Melendez (22-7 MMA, 1-5 UFC) and Arnold Allen (14-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) will meet in a featherweight bout at UFC 239 in July, the promotion announced on Wednesday.
UFC 239 takes place July 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event’s main card airs live on pay-per-view following prelims expected to air on ESPN and ESPN+.
Melendez, 37, hasn’t competed since he suffered a serious leg injury in a loss to Jeremy Stephens in September 2017. The outcome marked his fourth consecutive setback. “El Nino” withdrew from scheduled fights last July and December, where he was meant to face Allen at UFC 232.
In a September interview with MMA Junkie, Melendez stopped short of declaring he would retire from the sport. But he made it clear that he couldn’t continue on his current path with another loss.
“I think it’s important for me to succeed in my next fight,” Melendez said at the time. “It will be hard to go on if I don’t succeed. I really have to deliver. Even if I did come out with a victory, and I’m not happy with my performance, I’d probably have to consider everything.
“I need to succeed in this fight. If I do, that journey may continue. But if I don’t succeed, I can’t say forever-ever, but it’s definitely going to be time to step back for a long time.”
In Allen, Melendez faces a tough competitor on a major upswing. The 25-year-old Brit remains unbeaten in the octagon. In March, he defeated Jordan Rinaldi to extend his current winning streak to six bouts, including four in the UFC.
The latest UFC 239 card now includes:
- Champ Jon Jones vs. Thiago Santos – for light heavyweight title
- Champ Amanda Nunes vs. Holly Holm – for women’s featherweight title
- Ben Askren vs. Jorge Masvidal
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Francis Ngannou
- Jan Blachowicz vs. Luke Rockhold
- Michael Chiesa vs. Diego Sanchez
- Jack Marshman vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
- Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
- Claudia Gadelha vs. Randa Markos
- Arnold Allen vs. Gilbert Melendez
For more on UFC 239, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
