Ishida Alleges Melendez “Greased” During Strikeforce Bout
Jake Rossen Aug 18, 2009
More free advertising for Vaseline: the Wrestling Observer was
first to report that Japanese fighter Mitsuhiro
Ishida, who was stopped in the third round by Strikeforce
interim lightweight champion Gilbert
Melendez on Saturday,
is alleging that Melendez was lubricated. A representative for
Ishida has spoken with the California State Athletic
Commission.
“I did not grease,” Melendez told Sherdog’s Loretta Hunt. “The athletic commission was with me the whole time.”
You couldn’t make a more ambiguous charge if you tried: there’s no definitive way to prove Melendez was oiled up or not, and the cursory check made by officials prior to the fight wouldn’t spot any kind of grease applied that only seeps when the body begins sweating. It’s a lose/lose proposition for Ishida, who will either be A). unable to offer concrete evidence if he’s telling the truth, or B). be viewed as sore loser if he isn’t. And there were a handful of times where Melendez stuffed Ishida’s shots so expertly that Ishida didn’t even get a leg to lose control of.
Next on the Commission’s agenda: mandatory full-body scuba suits. And now you know whom to thank.
Update 3 p.m. ET: Reached via email, Melendez’ manager and father, Gilbert Melendez, Senior, said: “I can assure [you that] being with my son in the locker room at all times with a state commissioner present and by his side also at all times that such allegations are completely false.”
“I did not grease,” Melendez told Sherdog’s Loretta Hunt. “The athletic commission was with me the whole time.”
You couldn’t make a more ambiguous charge if you tried: there’s no definitive way to prove Melendez was oiled up or not, and the cursory check made by officials prior to the fight wouldn’t spot any kind of grease applied that only seeps when the body begins sweating. It’s a lose/lose proposition for Ishida, who will either be A). unable to offer concrete evidence if he’s telling the truth, or B). be viewed as sore loser if he isn’t. And there were a handful of times where Melendez stuffed Ishida’s shots so expertly that Ishida didn’t even get a leg to lose control of.
Next on the Commission’s agenda: mandatory full-body scuba suits. And now you know whom to thank.
Update 3 p.m. ET: Reached via email, Melendez’ manager and father, Gilbert Melendez, Senior, said: “I can assure [you that] being with my son in the locker room at all times with a state commissioner present and by his side also at all times that such allegations are completely false.”
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