J. Aldo (left) faces C. Mendes (right) again in August. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
While his plans to move up to the lightweight category remain postponed due to the impasse involving the champion of the upper division, Anthony Pettis, José Aldo he already knows who his opponent will be in his next defense of the featherweight belt. This is the North American Chad Mendes, who was already surpassed by Aldo at UFC Rio 2. The Ultimate organization made the fight official as the main fight of UFC 176, scheduled for August 2nd, at Staples Center, in Los Angeles (USA).
If Mendes wins again, José Aldo will reach seven consecutive belt defenses, equaling the mark of Jon Jones and establishing himself as the third most dominant champion in Ultimate history – behind only Georges St Pierre (9) and Anderson Silva (10). The man from Manaus is still the only featherweight champion in the history of the UFC, as he migrated from the extinct WEC with the title he held after the acquisition of the organization, and occupies second place in the Ultimate weight-for-pound rankings.
On the North American side, the feeling is one of revenge. The defeat to Aldo in Rio in 2012, by knockout with a spectacular knee, was the only one suffered by Chad Mendes in your professional career. Furthermore, the athlete from Team Alpha Male He has eleven victories in his professional record. Since the setback in the title fight, Mendes won the five fights he fought and positioned himself once again as number one in the featherweight rankings, giving himself a new shot at the belt.
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