UFC 136 Results: Does Gilbert Melendez Deserve the Next Shot at Frankie Edgar?

Strikeforce lightweight champion, Gilbert Melendez and recent UFC 136 victor Frankie Edgar could be on a collision course.

The two fighters have excelled in their reign as champions of their respective promotions.

Melendez has seemingly dominated anyone and anybody that enters the cage with him under the Strikeforce banner.

Edgar has beaten B.J. Penn, twice and has avenged the only loss of his career against Gray Maynard. Even with his size disadvantage, Edgar has persevered through all odds including two back-to-back first round beatdowns by Maynard.

But the question here is the exciting and thrilling Melendez deserving of the next shot at Edgar?

Melendez is undoubtedly the No. 2 ranked lightweight in the world after Maynard's loss. Melendez is currently on a five fight win streak that includes: Shinya Aoki, Josh Thomson and most recently Tatsuya Kawajiri.

Who are the only two losses in his career? Thomson and Mitsuhiro Ishida. Both fights Melendez has avenged.

There is no competition left in Strikeforce and even with a possible title defense against Jorge Masvidal looming in the future, there is no one who can compete with Melendez in Strikeforce.

Melendez has shown the lesser competition has been no problem for him and the UFC should unify the titles and get Melendez over to the UFC. UFC president Dana White even said he was working on getting him over ASAP and with Edgar defending his title, maybe a fight in early 2012 wouldn't be a bad idea.