Better late than never.
Top-ranked lightweight standouts, Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez, will finally collide in the co-main event of UFC 188, which takes place later tonight (Sat., June 13, 2015) inside Mexico City Arena in Mexico City, Mexico, after more than five years of cross-promotional jibber jabber.
Melendez is the former Strikeforce lightweight champion, but was beat out by both Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis in his two attempts at the UFC 155-pound strap. Sandwiched in between those losses was his "Fight of the Century" against the frenetic Diego Sanchez.
Onward and upward.
Alvarez finally made it to the Octagon after a long and ugly legal battle with Bellator MMA, where he once held the 155-pound crown. Unfortunately, his long-awaited promotional debut at UFC 178 was a bust, thanks to the red-hot Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone.
But that memory can be quickly erased by turning back "El Nino."
Heck of a fight!
To see who else is fighting at the UFC 188 extravaganza later tonight on PPV, as well as on the FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass "Prelims," check out the complete "Velasquez vs. Werdum" fight card and televised line up here.