Biography
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
Filmography
Cast Credits

Quintet Ultra
Character:
MOVIE • 2019

UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2019

Submission Underground 8
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2019

UFC 215: Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2017

UFC on Fox 20: Holm vs. Shevchenko
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2016

UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2015

UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler II
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2014
Mexican Fighter
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2013

UFC 166: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos III
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2013

UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2013

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Character: Self
TV • 2013

Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Finals: Barnett vs. Cormier
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2012
Fight Life
Character: Himself
MOVIE • 2012

Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2011

Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2011

Supreme Champion
Character: Logger
MOVIE • 2010

Strikeforce: Nashville
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2010

Strikeforce: Evolution
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2009

NCIS: Los Angeles
Character: Self - Strikeforce Fighter
TV • 2009

Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg
Character: Self
MOVIE • 2009