Bellator MMA Signs Wife of Gilbert Melendez to Multi-Fight Deal

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California-based MMA promotion Bellator MMA inked a deal with Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez to an exclusive multi-fight deal. The agreement was announced early on Friday and Melendez will make her promotional debut on the Bellator MMA “Dynamite” show on Sept. 19.

Taylor-Melendez will participate in a kickboxing match on the Glory portion of the Bellator: Dynamite card, a specialized event where Bellator and kickboxing giant Glory have come together in the way K-1 and Pride Fighting Championships did in Japan during the 2000s. There is no opponent named for Talyor-Melendez as of press time.

The wife of former World Extreme Cagefighting and Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez, Keri has competed in muay Thai and kickboxing over the years and said she intends on transitioning over to MMA.

“I’m very honored for the opportunity to fight on such a big stage with a great promotion and promoter,” Taylor-Melendez said in a statement. “I actually fought for Scott Coker before Gilbert and we both have a great relationship with him, so I feel very comfortable with this situation. Even though I haven't been super active as a fighter I have never really stopped training and look forward to testing my skills as a Muay Thai fighter and a mixed martial artist.”