Chad Mendes, a former UFC title contender, experienced significant pain for two months after a UFC title fight. However, it wasn`t his fight with Conor McGregor that caused him such distress.
Mendes has engaged in numerous intense battles in the UFC, competing against top-tier fighters in the 145lbs division for a decade. His opponents included Alexander Volkanovski, Frankie Edgar, Conor McGregor, and Jose Aldo, the champion he faced twice.
In his early UFC career in 2012, Mendes suffered a TKO loss to Aldo in the first round. Their rematch at UFC 179 two years later was drastically different, with Mendes coming close to defeating Aldo in a grueling five-round fight.
Despite his efforts, the judges awarded the decision to Aldo. Mendes`s subsequent and final attempt at a world title came a year later against McGregor.
Chad Mendes Found Conor McGregor Fight Easier Than Jose Aldo Bout
Mendes stepped in to fight McGregor on just 10 days` notice at UFC 189 in 2015, after Aldo withdrew from his title defense. The interim featherweight title was at stake.
Although Mendes effectively used his wrestling skills against McGregor, a known striker, the momentum shifted towards McGregor in the final moments of the second round. McGregor`s body and head shots weakened Mendes after he returned to his feet.
“Honestly, if I had been in top condition, the Conor fight would have been easy,” Mendes stated on Radical Health Radio.
“Aldo is far more athletic, explosive, and stronger. He has excellent jiu-jitsu and incredible striking. In contrast, Conor’s strength at that time was primarily striking.”
Mendes added, “When I took Conor down, he fought in a way that made it easy for me. He would just hold on, allowing me to take my time, rest, and strike with elbows.”
Jose Aldo Sidelines Chad Mendes for Two Months
Prior to facing McGregor, Mendes endured a punishing five-round fight with Jose Aldo nine months earlier, in addition to a training camp and fight against Ricardo Lamas.
Reflecting on his 2014 “Fight of the Year” with Aldo in Rio de Janeiro, Mendes described it as the most brutal fight he had ever experienced in the Octagon.
“I had to take a significant break from training because it was the toughest fight I had ever been through,” Mendes said about the Aldo rematch.
“I was urinating blood when I returned to the hotel that night. For about two months after that fight, my legs, feet, hands, and entire body were in pain from head to toe.”
“I wasn`t training much in the gym when I received a call from my managers saying, ‘Aldo is out, we need you to step in…’ I was 25 pounds overweight with only 10 days` notice. They asked if I thought I could make weight.”
For Mendes, it was a high-stakes opportunity – one last shot at UFC gold.
“And I thought, how could I pass this up? It`s for a title, and it’s against Conor. So, I agreed to it.”
“I worked hard, enduring starvation and dehydration to make weight and get into the fight. Being in top form, it would have been an easy fight for five rounds. But unfortunately, I lacked the stamina, which was disappointing.”
Rupert Hartwell