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Although it has been 15 months since Josh Thomson’s last bout, the fight has remained in him the entire time. As he inches his way closer to his rematch against Gilbert Melendez on December 19 for Strikeforce: Evolution, Josh feels ready for his big return to MMA. He knows he needs to be if he wants to defeat Melendez for the second time. Melendez is at the top of his game, but Josh has been preparing for him. “I’ve been training the whole time, preparing to get ready to fight Gilbert. Now that we’re back on track, it feels like I’ve never missed a day” He has been training with some top fighters like Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck. “[Koscheck] is a little bit big, but his style and the way he fights, it’s a bigger and better version than Gilbert. If I can get a takedown on him or land a couple good shots on him, I’ll definitely be ready for Gilbert.”
Thomson expects Melendez to be a different fighter than he was in June of 2008 and their upcoming fight to be a different one. “I haven’t really watched the last fight. History is done, it’s over. I don’t expect him to fight me that way. If he does, it’s a replay. I think he’ll change up the game plan. If he tries to be overly aggressive he’ll be in a lot of trouble. I think he’ll probably be a little bit more patient and counter-punch a little bit more and have me come to him.” While the last fight went to decision, Josh maintains “Every fighter looks to finish a fight. He’s got a good chin and he’s super hard to finish submission-wise. I don’t see it happening but if the opportunity presents itself it’ll happen.”
Thomson is riding an eight-fight win streak and is unbeaten since June 2006. His most recent loss was in March 2006, when he found himself on the losing end of a decision in his fight against The Carpenter, Clay Guida, with whom he does not foresee a rematch. On avenging his loss to Guida, Josh says, “He’s a tough fighter, but he can’t seem to beat the big dogs. I’ve beaten the guy that beat him. He’s on a losing streak and I’m on a winning streak, so I don’t see the point in going back and fighting him again.”
What about UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn? Josh maintains, “If BJ Penn wants to fight the best guys he needs to leave UFC and come over to Strikeforce, then he can fight the best lightweights and test himself. The top 10 guys at lightweight are not in UFC. The best fighters are outside the UFC; they’re with Strikeforce.” Thomson claims he is the top fighter at 155 lbs and wants to prove that further by testing himself against those who, in his opinion, are currently the top lightweights: Joachim Hansen, Shinya Aoki and Eddie Alvarez to name a few. He adds “It’s a shame that the guys in the UFC are going to be left out.”
(Josh Thomson quotes courtesy of Ringside Report Radio)
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