"When people start talking, you're going to respond. Most people come out respectful and I think he's been somewhat respectful, Woodley, but he's just counting Jake out and that's stupid. No one likes to be told that they're not good or anything like that so he's just out to prove it and he's got a chip on his shoulder and I think he's going to use it in a positive way in the ring."
-- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight contender Gilbert Melendez tells John Pollock of The Fight Network that he believes good friend and training partner Jake Shields, who meets Tyron Woodley on Saturday night (June 15, 2013) at UFC 161, is going to enter the Octagon with a "chip on his shoulder" due to the fact Woodley has appeared overconfident going into the upcoming welterweight match up. Melendez feels that Woodley saying he is a "nightmare" match up for Shields and that he is going to make a "bold statement" against the former Strikeforce champion is the wrong mindset to have against a fighter of Shields' caliber. "El Nino" believes the comments by Woodley have motivated his training partner in a good way and the emotion is going to spill over in a positive manner and make Shields excel once he steps foot in the cage at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
For more news and notes on UFC 161: "Evans vs. Henderson," visit our complete event archive here.