Gilbert Melendez may have been away from the fight game for a bit, but he’s confident there was a blessing to be found in the chaos.

The former Strikeforce champion was handed a one-year suspension for a failed drug test following his battle with Eddie Alvarez at UFC 188 last June, which he lost. Things could have easily fallen off track for Melendez, but his natural resiliency didn't allow that to happen.

Instead, the 34-year-old “Skrap Pack” leader used his time away to regain focus and rekindle the inner fire that drove him to become one of the elite lightweight fighters in MMA.

“Being on the sidelines was really kind of a strange situation for me,” Melendez told FloCombat in an exclusive interview. “Everyone always says it's a great time to rest your body because for me, always having a fight around the corner and having to step in there against another elite fighter kept me in the gym. The biggest thing for me during this stretch was being able to rest my mind.”

As Melendez sought to quell his fighting instincts and remove himself from his fast-track mindset, he started to find a sense of peace that had long been missing. The Santa Ana, California, native soon recognized the silver lining, and started to accept that a break from competition was actually needed.

“I needed to get away from the pressure of fighting and the pressure of working as much as I was,” Melendez said. “I feel like, for a moment, I was a little overwhelmed. You get in this mindset where you think you have to go, go, go. I had to realize that I needed to settle in. I have a family, a career, a gym and a job at ESPN. I was also able to enjoy life a bit more and put things in a better perspective, and that perspective is that I’m blessed.”

Once Melendez found focus, a path began to open up through the uncertainty ahead. Instead of stressing about things that moved beyond his control, the perennial contender instead poured his energy into returning to the Octagon. A reinvigorated Melendez took to the gym and began drafting potential scenarios to prepare for who he would share the cage with upon his return.

In the crowded 155-pound mix, there was ultimately only one match that made sense to Melendez, and that’s the one he’s hoping to land.

“There is nothing officially on the schedule, but I’m looking to get back in late July,” Melendez said. “I haven’t been reaching out, but I know people have been inquiring. I really feel the fight with Al Iaquinta makes the most sense. We were going to do it before so let’s go ahead and get it done. I know he’s been recovering from an injury, but I heard he’s looking to come back around the same time I am. Let’s do it.”

As Melendez waits for the next few months to pass, his time in the interim won’t be spent idling. He will be back in the thick of intense training sessions with his trusted confidants, Jake Shields and the Diaz brothers, preparing and anticipating the day when he can unleash the beast once again.

Where most fighters focus on wins and losses, Melendez’s new agenda is one of retribution. He’s determined to prove he’s just as relevant as he ever was, and carries the same grit that made him one of the best in the world.

“This is all about redemption for me now,” Melendez said. “I’m in a place now where I feel I have something to prove. I want to show everyone that I’m still one of the baddest men out there. I fight with guts and heart and I can overcome adversity. Those are the things I’m looking to show the world and I’m determined like never before to prove myself. That’s what happens when you get hungry again, and that’s exactly where I’m at.”