50 MMA Fights You Must Watch Before You Die
32. Josh Thomson Vs. Gilbert Melendez 3 - Strikeforce: Barnett Vs. Cormier
After already having two epic title fights, it seemed unlikely that Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson could have an even better one. However, their third championship bout was the best of the trilogy between these two legendary lightweights.
It was clear from the start that both fighters knew each other well, as the momentum shifted consistently throughout the bout. Melendez was able to successfully mix up his striking with his wrestling attacks, keeping Thomson on the backfoot for the first three rounds. Despite this, Thomson remained undeterred and used his own grappling skills to nearly finish Melendez with a rear naked choke in the fourth round.
It made for a highly entertaining fifth and final round as Melendez battled to keep his lead on the judges' scorecards, while Thomson attacked in the hopes of ripping the victory out of his opponent's grasp. In the end, the closely contested scrap went to Melendez. However, the level of technical brilliance from both men ensured that this fight will go down as one of best to ever come from Strikeforce.