'Brazil will be without any champion after the 25th', guarantees Chad Mendes

Mendes (photo) will face Aldo in October. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

The days of Brazilian UFC champion fighters are coming to an end. This is what guarantees Chad Mendes, the next challenger for the featherweight belt who will face the champion, José Aldo, in the main fight of UFC 179, on October 25th.

The North American guaranteed that, after the event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will no longer have any belts. “In a perfect world, I will enter the octagon and break Aldo's confidence, putting a lot of pressure on him. I think I'll end the fight with a knockout or a technical knockout. I know he's the only UFC champion Brazil has today, but I can't do anything. I think they will be without any champion after the 25th”, predicted the fighter, in an interview with the podcast “The MMA Hour”, on the North American website “MMA Fighting”.

Mendes evaluated Aldo's phase and stated that the Brazilian does not have the same objectivity as he used to. For him, some changes in the champion's personal life may have affected his performance inside the octagon. “He just keeps using low kicks and throwing jabs. Yes, he's winning fights, but it's not exciting. He doesn't finish fights, he doesn't try to finish fights. He wants to get the victory and get out of there. He's a different guy – he's married, he has a newborn son. Many people say it changes a man. In this sport, you need to have that aggression and that desire to destroy your opponent, but maybe that ended for him”, he said.

The challenger also welcomed the push that Aldo gave him during the promotional events for the fight. “Aldo lost his temper, and that had never happened before. He wanted to go back and say he wanted to sell the fight, but if that was the case, he wouldn't come out and say it later. For me, I'm in his head. I think he feels threatened, and that's the position I want to be in. When you're staring and the guy pushes you, I think it's fun. It’s fun to see him getting frustrated and losing his cool,” he said.

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