His parents were not originally supportive of the idea, and, according to Melissanidis, only relented and took him to the Spartakos Thessaloniki gymnastics club after he refused to eat for two days.

1994 was also his first year competing as a senior, and at age 17, he tied with Great Britain's Neil Thomas for the silver medal on floor at the 1994 World Championships.

[8] However, at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Melissanidis won the floor exercise gold medal with a score of 9.850.

Melissanidis continued competing after 1996, winning the vault title at the 1998 European Championships in Saint Petersburg.

He represented Greece at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but, struggling with injury, competed only on vault and high bar.

Melissanidis has one vault named after him in the Code of Points; the Yurchenko double back in tuck position.