After losing by knockout in his first bid for championship gold, Chad “Money” Mendes went on a dominant run knocking out contenders left and right to earn another title shot. In the meantime, Jose Aldo extended his streak to 17-straight wins with victories over Frankie Edgar, Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas setting up this highly-anticipated rematch.
It’s going to be fisticuffs for the main event of UFC 179. Will Mendes be the one to unseat Aldo from the featherweight throne? Or will Aldo further establish himself as a pound-for-pound great? Read on as we break down this blockbuster showdown.
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Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes Featherweight Championship Preview
Where: Ginasio do Maranazinho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jose Aldo has evolved from a wild striker into a patient and efficient Muay Thai specialist. However, Aldo’s evolution has also seen him transition into a point fighter from the feared knockout artist he was earlier in his career. Four of his six UFC title defenses have been won via decision.
The featherweight champion excels on the counter strike, preferring to let his opponents make the first move before he unwinds on a precise counter. Still, Aldo does not shy away from moving forward, especially when he unloads his vaunted leg kicks.
[sc:UFC240banner ]Nevertheless, Aldo is not without any holes on the feet. He regularly leaves openings when he commits to his combinations, especially for a well-timed counter left hook. This particular hole in his striking may be exploited by Chad Mendes, who packs quite a punch with either hand. Aldo can’t afford to get hit by Mendes’ bricks for fists lest he lose his title by way of knockout.
Part of Aldo’s success in striking is his stellar takedown defense, fighting off 91.7 percent of attempts against him. He’s gone against excellent wrestlers in his career in Manny Gamburyan, Urijah Faber, Ricardo Lamas and Frankie Edgar, making his defense even more impressive.
Yet, the champion doesn’t only have excellent defense, he is also capable of bringing his opponents to the mat whenever he’s in trouble. Aldo showed his offensive wrestling in his first UFC appearance when he relied on takedowns when he was boxed up by Mark Hominick. More recently, he wrestled Chan Sung Jung whenever he felt uncomfortable on the feet. Aldo had a combined 10 takedowns on Hominich and Jung.
The biggest problem for Aldo is his suspect cardio. He regularly fades deep into fights, starting in the latter minutes of the third round. He was dominated by Hominick on the ground in the fifth round and again by Lamas on February 1.
Still, Aldo is a top pound-for-pound talent riding a 17-fight win streak, giving him a ton of confidence and the aura of an unbeatable champion.
An elite Division I wrestler, Chad “Money” Mendes utilized gritty grappling to bring him to the top of the featherweight ladder. He averages five takedowns per contest, which makes his opponents tentative to strike. The threat of the takedown also helps open up Mendes’ striking as his opponents will have one too many things to worry about.
Mendes utilized his wrestling to limited effect in his first fight against Aldo. He had a couple of slams, but could not keep the champion down for long. More recently, Mendes has primarily used his striking, and he had good reason to do so. He earned his second title shot by taking a path of destruction, winning his last five fights including four-straight by knockout.
Mendes needed only 25 strikes to record first round knockouts of Cody McKenzie, Yaotzin Meza and Darren Elkins. He then outstruck a pesky and mobile Clay Guida 32-17 on the way to a third-round finish. Mendes’ stoppage win was Guida’s first loss by knockout or TKO in 44 fights.
The contender’s streak of finishes was thanks in large part to the direction of new coach Duane Ludwig. Training under Ludwig added more mobility to Mendes’ striking arsenal as well as more polished . Mendes still prefers to wing a thudding right hook, but he now does so with better setups and mobility.
Writer’s Prediction
Chad Mendes (+200) drags Jose Aldo into deep water, dominating the final two rounds. Mendes takes the decision 48-47.
