A view from this side of my Strikeforce debut
Written By: Brian Melancon
So I just finished eating at Amazon Grill with my girl on a wednesday night after training when my manager calls. He asks me how my lip is (I had just gotten 5 stitches in a nasty gash while doing a rolling drill on monday). I tell him “it’s fine, I’ll get the stitches out on Saturday or Sunday.” Then he asks, ” Can you fight next saturday for Strikeforce?” My first thought is “what?!?” Then I think “oh crap!” I am just coming off of a month long vacation where I had been eating whatever I wanted and training about twice per WEEK. Ever since I got back from Sacramento and found out my fight got cancelled, I just decided to take some time off and get ready for Legacy in July when I was 8 weeks out. I was exactly 1 week into that camp now. I check my weight on the scale and I am 193.9 (down 6lbs from Memorial day when I was 200 after beer and barbcue) I had been lifting for a while to be a bigger 170. It was perfect for an 8 week diet and cut down to 170, but now nearly 25lbs in 10 days? I don’t know if I can do it.
After about an hour of thinking and talking to my teammates, I decide that I have to take it. There is no way that I could live with myself when I am 70 if I were to pass this up and never get the call back. So I call my manager back and tell him “I’ll take it!” For the next 8 days I eat only 800 calories a day and train 3 sessions a day. I get all the way down to 186 when I arrive in Dallas. I have 15lbs to go in less than two days. “This is gonna be brutal!” I keep thinkning to myself. I have done this much weight before, but not in this condition. The last time I was in this condition I missed weight. I go through my normal routine and get off as much as I physically can til I stop sweating. I reach 175.4 at 12:00 on friday. 3 more hours to get the rest off. Feeling absolutely terrible at this point, but I get back at it. 2 more hours down and here is the dryheaving, shaking, dizziness and inability to focus. I step on the scale and it is 175.0. I had them call the other guy’s camp earlier to let them know and continued the best I could.
Fight day comes and I am rehydrated and feeling pretty good and thinking that I am gonna KO this guy in the first! As you all know I always start aggressive and this will be no different. I am relaxed and focused. I come out in the first and went after him nailed him with punches, tossed him down, side control, mounted crucifix, back, choke almost sunk in. Just took it to him like I said I would. I got tired and I knew I didn’t have my normal pace so I took most of the second off to just counter and get my second wind. Going into the 3rd I know it is 1-1 and I need this rd. I know I can take him so I counter in the first part of the rd, set up some takedowns and then I go after him. Big hip toss, mount again, almost take the back. He gets up and in desparation starts just throwing alot of pitter pat knees and elbows from the clinch that are not really landing and definitely doing no damage. I hear my corner say 45seconds so I time a kick and shoot. He sprawls but I feel I have the corner on him and I turn and secure the takedown. He knows he’s screwed and tries to get up, I go for the back then attempt a suplex at the end. Bell rings and it’s over, I just won! There is a great calm that comes and I am thinking of how I was successful in my Strikeforce debut! Then I hear the words “Split Decision” What?!?! There’s no way! are you kidding me? Then I look at the announcer’s scorecard and I see my opponents name twice. I think “nah that’s not the decision, that must just be rd 2. I won this fight!” I hear his name for the second time, and my heart drops. It feels like a nightmare. “This can’t be real. There’s no way!” What just happened. MY lungs are burning, but I don’t have a scratch on me. Not one bruise anywhere, Not my leg, not my face and no cuts or anything. Where is the damage? Where’s the evidence that I “lost”. There’s none on me. The evidence is all on him!
Days have passed now, and I have watched about 10 times already. I have no idea how it was sored this way, and I probably never will. I will forever have to look at my record and see an L where there should be a W. The matchmaker (along with most everyone else in the world) feels that I won, and is excited to have me here, stating that he “can’t wait to have me back!” This is a small comfort and does very little to soothe this pain. I put my heart into that fight and gave it all I had and It was ripped from my hands. I am so angry right now that I am going to fight like I did in the 1st rd 100% of the time now. I don’t want to ever go to the judges again. Ever. I am going to work my butt off to try and make sure that not only will I never lose again, but I don’t even want to go to the 3rd rd. When judges are going to blindly flip a coin to decide the future of my career, then I won’t let them have any part of it! Thank you all for your kind words and support. That does ease the pain, and your words do make a difference to me. I really appreciate it and hope I can make you all proud next time.
Great read!! I have NO idea how the judges scored this fight the way they did. It was very obvious that you won this fight hands down. Keep your head up and take it out on the next guy. I had seen you fight 3X on legacy cards and was excited to see you fight on the national stage. I told a bunch of guys at work to watch MELANCON fight Sat night becuase he is on his way to big things. Monday morning I came in to work and had people coming to me saying that you were a beast and that you got totally fucked!! You picked up a ton of new fans with that fight and when you make it to the top they will be saying “remember his debut when he got fucked with no KY” I really enjoy watching you fight as well as reading your blog. Looking forward to the next time you get in the ring and I feel sorry for the next guy…..
Brian…first you already made us proud. Second That was a shell of what a prepared Brian Melancon is capable of and I think that Strikeforce, your opponent, Bas, The fans in attendance and the fans watching on tv knew it! I was calling frantically and running from place to place looking for who was showing the fights and when i ran into BWW demanding the manager change it quick everyone in there saw the spectacle that was me at that moment. They put the fight on and by now everyone was wondering what i was SOO up in arms about and so they were watching. These casual fans were yelling out for you as you battered the guy and ragdolled him around the cage. Man i was SO PROUD. YOu earned lots of new fans that night and your name became one that people are watchign for. A bar full of casual sports watchers was won over by the way the fought and i was loudly letting those in earshot know thats my boy and that you took the fight on short notice and were only at half speed. NOW GO GET THAT TITLE!
You already know how proud you made us even though you were robbed from getting the win. Everyone agrees but unfortunately we weren’t the one who made that ridiculas call. Glad you got another call back and I’m sure it may have rattled you a bit but deep down you have to do what you think is best for you. I’m so excited and I know you’re going to go into this next fight ready to pound on your opponent. You got this so don’t let anyone take that positive thinking out of your mind. Beat the crap out of him and call it a day. Show them the Brian we know is. The Brian who isn’t going to back down against anyone. Take that win and make them eat their words. You have our support. Remember, only positive thoughts.:)
I was at my sister in laws birthday and I turned on HDNET and I forced everyone to watch the entire strikeforce card on tv instead of having music at the party from one of the music channels. Even some of the women in the room that dont watch the sport were saying “How is the fight scored? Because it looks like the other guy won” Total robbery, Im sure the next guy that gets in the cage with you Brian is gonna pay dearly for that… till then keep your head up and we cant wait to see you back in the cage at strikeforce.
dude, you rule. fuck it. you made it in, and now you have at least three more opportunities. remember to hold your head high. you made it to the big show. now that your foot is in the door, take over the whole fucking house. see you next week. we are all real proud of you.
you did a good job.. sometimes it doesnt go your way… believe it or not your impressive loss is worth more than a lack-lustre, boring lay and pray win in the sport these days… you stepped up at short notice and performed well.. I guarantee you have a bit more attention on you now…