Keri Melendez Carries the Weight of Expectation into Her MMA Debut | MMAWeekly.com

It’s safe to say that over the past year, few fighters have had the level of expectations placed upon them that Keri Melendez has.

A promising fighter in her own right, Melendez’s husband, Gilbert, has been a world class fighter for years. So when she entered Bellator’s, first in its kickboxing ranks and now in MMA, eyes have been firmly affixed on her in anticipation of similar success.

“I don’t know how comfortable I’ll ever be, but I’m definitely getting used to it,” Melendez told MMAWeekly.com. “I feel like everyone has been pretty great. I’m trying to enjoy the ride, and it’s been pretty fun.

“I have a lot to prove. (Gilbert is) my main MMA coach and I want to show that he’s also an awesome coach. I put pressure on myself just because I like to do that so I feel ready for a fight, but I definitely feel some pressure for this fight, coming from Gilbert being my husband.”

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Having had two successful bouts under Bellator Kickboxing, Melendez now shifts her focus to MMA, and so far she’s found the transition complicated, but rewarding.

“It’s difficult putting everything together,” said Melendez. “It’s been a great, long, growing camp. I feel like I’ve been training since the end of January, and I haven’t really stopped or taken that much time off.

“Of course, when I do my kickboxing, I step away from grappling, and it’s definitely been difficult, but it’s been fun. I want to show that I’m a true martial artist and I can put everything together.”

For her MMA debut, Melendez (0-0) takes on Sheila Padilla (2-0) in a main card 125-pound bout at Bellator 165 on Saturday in San Jose, Calif.

“I know she’s a grappler, so I’m sure she wants to take it to the ground,” Melendez said of Padilla. “I saw one of her fights online, and she did that pretty well, and she controlled that person really well.

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“I want to go in there and test myself – and I think she’d be the perfect person to go in there and test myself against. Of course, I want to keep it striking because I believe I’m the better striker, but I won’t shy away from the ground.”

Should she find both success in kickboxing and MMA, Melendez could possibly do both in the coming year, but rather than set plans now, she would rather see how things play out after each bout.

“In this camp, I’ve just been worried about MMA, and we’ll see how it goes,” said Melendez. “I’d like to do both, but if it hinders my game, then I’ll have to take one out. I would like to do both, but we’ll see what happens.”

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