UFC on FOX 20 preview: Is this the end for El Nino?

Fans can be forgiven for not remembering that for a long stretch starting in the mid-2000s, Gilbert Melendez was arguably the best lightweight not fighting in the UFC.

He heads into the co-main event of UFC on FOX 20 in Chicago on Saturday with a humbling 1-3 Octagon record and the stain of a year-long suspension that he is only now coming out of.

On top of all that? He has to deal with Brazilian Muay Thai machine Edson Barboza.

Melendez has fought just twice in the past two years and has not won since taking a unanimous decision over Diego Sanchez in October 2013.

It's fair to say that his best days are behind him, but are his worst days already here?

At 34-years-old, "El Nino" finds himself in the midst of a lightweight division that is bursting with contenders including Barboza, Tony Ferguson, and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

To his credit, he's saying all the right things about how his work with Nate and Nick Diaz has him prepared to make a triumphant comeback.

A loss to Barboza would be the third straight for Melendez. Considering he's already on thin ice, the harsh reality is that he's as close to regaining his status in the top five as he is to being released altogether.

Holm Alone

For the first time ever, a non-title fight featuring two female fighters will headline a UFC card. Not only that, this is the third time in the past four UFC cards that women will close the show.

Holly Holm has been matched up with a tough but unknown competitor in Valentina Shevchenko, so all the pressure is on "The Farmer's Daughter" to prove that she can move the needle for the promotion.

It's difficult to gauge Holm's popularity after a nine-month span that saw her become an instant star after knocking out Ronda Rousey, lose to Miesha Tate in her first defense of the 135-pound title, and then fade into relative obscurity.

Holm has never been one to embrace the spotlight anyway, but now that the shine of the Rousey upset has worn off considerably, Saturday's event will go a long way towards determining where she stands in the eyes of the fans and the matchmakers.

Related: Holm doesn't want career to be based around Rousey

How do you say 'concussion' in French?

Not since Cheick Kongo has there been a French heavyweight prospect like Francis Ngannou.

Nicknamed "The Predator", the chiseled Ngannou is always on the hunt for a finish, having recorded all seven of his wins by stoppage.

He's 2-0 in the UFC so far, with his violent debut against Luis Henrique still resonating in the minds of those who witnessed it.

The heavyweight division is always looking for fresh blood, and at 29 years old, Ngannou might provide a much-needed injection if he can continue his winning ways against newcomer Bojan Mihajlovic.

Welcome to the main card, Kailin Curran

The 25-year-old Kailin Curran gets another chance to make a first impression when she makes her main-card debut in the UFC on FOX 20 opener opposite Felice Herrig.

After suffering two heartbreaking third-round losses in her first two fights, Curran snagged her first UFC win with a rear-naked choke submission of Emily Kagan last December.

Herrig presents a stiff test, and an opponent who knows a thing or two about making a name for yourself in a male-dominated sport. "Lil Bulldog" managed to get herself in an MMA video game before joining the UFC, and she's been featured as a competitor on "American Ninja Warrior."

As for Curran, she has the personality and look that promoters value when developing marketable talents, and a win over an experienced foe like Herrig could vault her into the public conscience.

She hinted at her star potential last year with a video showing off her vocal chops: