Gilbert "El Niño" Melendez is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist who has fought at Featherweight and currently fights at Lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a two-time Strikeforce Lightweight Champion and a former WEC Lightweight Champion. He also competed in PRIDE FC, Shooto, and Rumble on the Rock. Melendez holds the distinction of being one of a select group of fighters who have ever been ranked #1 in the world in two weight classes in MMA, among the likes of Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Kazushi Sakuraba, and BJ Penn. Melendez was nicknamed after the infamous El Niño storm that wreaks havoc across the Pacific Rim. It was given to him by a Japanese broadcaster describing his fight-style and the manner in which he stormed through the Shooto Featherweight division

KNOWN FOR

NCIS: Los Angeles
2010
The Ultimate Fighter
2014
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
2017
UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum
2015
Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier
2012
Mexican Fighter
2013
Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg
2009
UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez
2013
UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II
2014
UFC on Fox 20: Holm vs. Shevchenko
2016
WEC 10: Bragging Rights
2004
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie
2006

FILMOGRAPHY

All
Movies
TV
Acting
33
2019
Quintet Ultra
2019
UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos
as Self
2019
Submission Underground 8
as Self
2017
UFC 215: Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2
as Self
2017
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
as Self
2016
UFC on Fox 20: Holm vs. Shevchenko
as Self
2015
UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum
as Self
2014
UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II
as Self
2014
The Ultimate Fighter
as Head Coach
2013
UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez
as Self
2013
Mexican Fighter
as Self
2013
UFC 166: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos III
as Self
2012
Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier
as Self
2012
Fight Life
as Himself
2011
Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley
as Self
2011
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal
as Self
2010
Strikeforce: Nashville
as Self
2010
Supreme Champion
as Logger
2010
NCIS: Los Angeles
as Self - Strikeforce Fighter
2009
Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg
as Self
2009
Strikeforce: Evolution
as Self
2009
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz
as Self
2008
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
as Self
2008
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le
as Self
2007
Strikeforce: Playboy Mansion
as Self
2007
Yarennoka!
as Self
2006
Strikeforce: Revenge
as Self
2006
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie
as Self
2006
Pride Shockwave 2006
as Self
2006
Pride Bushido 12
as Self
2004
WEC 10: Bragging Rights
as Self
2003
WEC 6: Return of a Legend
as Self
2002
WEC 5: Halloween Fury
as Self