- Nicknames
- El Nino
- Gilbo
- El Niño
- Height5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
- Melendez, a Mexican-American, is from Santa Ana, California, and wrestled during high school. Melendez always enjoyed combat sports and competition, but did not start training in MMA until after college when he was introduced to the sport by his good friend and MMA fighter Jake Shields. Melendez attended San Francisco State University and was studying in liberal arts, he anticipated becoming a teacher but did not finish his college education and get a degree, on account of training for MMA and working outside of college. He has stated that someday he plans on finishing his college education.
- IMDb mini biography by: Movie_Piranha
- Second winner of the Strikeforce (2006) Lightweight World Title.
- Final holder of the Strikeforce (2006) Lightweight World Title, with the most title defenses in the promotion's history.
- Before becoming a professional fighter, he worked as a waiter and he also had a job at a Fairtex gear shop, which would later be one of his sponsors.
- Melendez and his girlfriend Keri Anne have a daughter born August 8, 2010.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
