Strikeforce Taps Mitsuhiro Ishida to Rematch Gilbert Melendez
By: Chad Edward Posted On: July 30, 2009 at 6:18pm“Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida (19-4-1) will fill-in for Strikeforce lightweight champ “Punk” Josh Thomson (15-2-1) in San Jose 15 August, giving “El Niño” Gilbert Melendez (15-2) a crack at avenging a different loss than he had originally planned.
Ishida took Gil’ the distance for a UD at Yarennoka in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve 2007.
Two fights later, Melendez lost the Strikeforce gold to Thomson in a five-round UD in San Jose in June 2008.
Melendez comes into the rematch after leaving Rodrigo Damm (6-3) unconcious in the second round at Strikeforce in San Jose last April.
Ishida is licking his wounds after a TKO by Mizuto Hirota (9-3) at Shooto in Tokyo 10 May.
Thomson was unable to clear medicals due to an injured leg and had to pull from the title defense.
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