It’s time for Gilbert Melendez to be Mr. Mom to Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez

Gilbert Melendez

Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez was well on her way to transitioning from kickboxing to MMA when she tore her ACL, sidelining her before he ever stepped into a cage for a professional fight.

Then, Taylor-Melendez got pregnant and had a child with her husband, UFC lightweight Gilbert Melendez. Melendez’s career took off with the industry-leader. Her competitive aspirations again took a back seat.

Three events like that might be enough to convince some people they should re-evaluate their direction. But for Taylor-Melendez, there was only more groundwork to lay for the future. She had her ACL surgery three months after giving birth to Leylakay Valentina Melendez and got back into the gym. By 2014, she was back fighting in muay Thai.

Now, as she prepares for a kickboxing debut at “Bellator 142: Dynamite,” Taylor-Melendez doesn’t see much of a difference from the life she led. She doesn’t have the time for that, anyway.

“I prepared myself in case this day would come,” she told MMAjunkie. “I never stopped training. I’ve always been in the gym as long as Gilbert’s been training. I’ve been training.”

These days, she has a little bit more help around the house as she prepares for a Glory kickboxing bout against Hadley Griffith on the event’s Spike TV main card at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

“This time around, I feel like I have a lot more support, so it’s perfect timing,” said Taylor-Melendez. “Gilbert is supporting me.”

What’s that mean? Think of Melendez as Mr. Mom with four-ounce gloves. He’s her coach, manager, husband – and babysitter.

It would be remiss not to mention that Melendez is sitting on the sidelines due to a UFC suspension and won’t be able to fight until June 2016. Taylor-Melendez declined through the promotion to answer questions about her husband’s professional status, but stressed the help he’s given has been invaluable.

“He’s a great dad,” she said. “I think right now I just feel lucky and blessed to have such a prestigious athlete who’s doing this to help me make a run at my career.”

Bellator President Scott Coker, Melendez’s longtime promoter before his deal with the UFC, reached out to him to inquire about setting up a fight for Taylor-Melendez. The bout is expected to set up an MMA debut next summer in the Bellator cage.

“I think this is a great opportunity, the timing is great, and I’m excited to go on a run before I have more kids,” she said.

So there is an expiration date on Taylor-Melendez’s competitive aspirations. But right now, she’s satisfying a need that’s been dormant for one reason or another for several years.

Her opponent will be the beneficiary of that release.

“My coaches, myself, my husband, my teammates have watched a lot of video on Hadley,” she said. “She has more MMA fights online. I think she has a decent amateur record in kickboxing. In the fights that I’ve seen, she was winning the striking battle. I think she’s very tough.”

For more on Bellator 142, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.