Mendes (photo) will face Aldo in August. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
The main fight of UFC 142, held in Rio de Janeiro at the beginning of 2012, had as its highlight the beautiful knee given by José Aldo em Chad Mendes, who challenged him for the featherweight belt. However, the move that most affected the American fighter happened moments before, when the champion held on to the bars to avoid being taken to the ground.
Aldo himself minimized the episode, saying that the move “didn’t change the outcome of the fight at all”. However, the subject bothers Mendes to this day. “Looking at it now, it sucks. I've seen that fight several times, and it irritates me every time I see it. That definitely changed the course of at least the first round”, said the fighter, in an interview with the North American website “MMA Junkie”.
In August this year, Mendes will have the opportunity to avenge the only defeat he suffered in his career. At UFC 176, he will challenge Aldo again for the featherweight belt, and this time, the fighter wants to ensure that the episode of the first fight does not happen again. “This time, we will talk to the referees beforehand, and I will also try to get the takedowns away from the bars. A lot of guys these days hold onto the fence all the time. That’s definitely something we’re keeping an eye on,” he commented.
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