No Excuses: Thomson 100 Percent for Melendez Rematch

Josh Thomson is pulling no punches when it comes to his health. The Strikeforce lightweight champion wants everyone to know that he will be coming into his long-awaited rematch against Gilbert Melendez at Strikeforce “Evolution” on Dec. 19 fully healthy.

"I want everyone to know right now that I'm injury-free," Thomson said during a Wednesday conference call. "I don't want people to write me off because of my time off, or my leg, or ring rust or anything like that. I'm completely prepared for this fight. I'm 100 percent and I'm ready to bring my title back home. If Gilbert beats me, it'll be because he's the better fighter that night."

Thomson, the winner in his original meeting with Melendez in June 2008, was forced to withdraw from scheduled title defenses in April and August after twice breaking his left leg during training. While Thomson was sidelined, Melendez strung together consecutive victories over Rodrigo Damm and Mitsuhiro Ishida, earning the interim Strikeforce lightweight belt in the process.

"I made sure after the third time I was injured that I stopped doing everything and made sure [the leg] healed properly," Thomson said. "I haven't had any problems with it. I've been kicking hard without any pain."

In addition to providing reassurance concerning his well-being, Thomson suggests that next weekend's bout with Melendez will differ completely from their prior clash. It's a sentiment that Melendez shares.

"This is a completely different fight, and I haven't even watched the footage of the old fight because of that," said Thomson. "I think Gilbert is a completely different fighter now and I know that he's going to be ready and prepared. I'm not really looking at the last fight as a measuring stick for this one at all."

"I want to perform better than last time," Melendez added. "It's been two years since then, and I know that Josh has become a better and different fighter during that time. Josh took it to me every round, and I know I'm going to have to be more prepared this time. You never wish injury on anyone, but the fact that it happened to Josh twice actually allowed me to get better as a fighter and earn my way back to a shot at the title."