The rivalry between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes is one that will be remembered for years to come. Their battles in the octagon were nothing short of spectacular, filled with intense action and unforgettable moments. Let's delve into the details of their epic clashes, particularly their second encounter at UFC 179.
The first time Jose Aldo faced Chad Mendes, the fight ended with one second left in the first round. Mendes spent most of the last minute of the first stanza holding Aldo against the cage and landing knees to the legs of his opponent. Then, as the clock ticked down, Aldo spun out of Mendes’ grasp and landed a left knee to the head of Mendes. The blow ended the fight right before the horn to end the round.
That win was Aldo’s third successful defense of the UFC featherweight title. Two years later, the two met for a second time. Aldo had defended the title three more times. Mendes had gone 5-0 with four knockouts to get a second title shot.
The bout headlined UFC 179, which took place in Aldo’s home country of Brazil in October 2014.
Unlike the first matchup, the rematch between Aldo and Mendes went the five-round distance. Aldo took home the victory by unanimous decision. Both men took home $50,000 bonus awards for “Fight of the Night.” When 2014 came to a close, the five-round battle was honored with “Fight of the Year” accolades at the World MMA Awards.
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Saturday night’s UFC 179 pay-per-view featured a great main event between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes, but the entire fight card was filled with entertaining bouts.
With Phil Davis earning a lopsided decision win over Glover Teixeira and Fabio Maldonado knocking out Hans Stringer on top of the marquee featherweight title fight, this was one of the most entertaining shows of the last several months.
Here are the full fight card results and a breakdown of the most underrated bout at UFC 179.
While Aldo vs. Mendes stole most of the headlines, the battle between Phil Davis and Glover Teixeira was a great sign for the future of the light heavyweight division.
Teixeira was coming off a loss to Jon Jones in a championship bout, and he was thoroughly outclassed by Davis on Saturday. As well as Teixeira performed during his winning streak leading into his title match, Davis was the more effective striker and the better wrestler on Saturday night.
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Davis was coming off a decision loss to Anthony Johnson and realized how important a victory was to his career. As one of the best wrestlers in the sport, Davis has been a light heavyweight championship contender, but he has lost in some of the biggest moments.
While Saturday’s fight went to the judges’ scorecards, it was very clear that Davis was the winner.
After beating Teixeira, Davis called out a legend in his post-fight interview, via Marc Raimondi of Fox Sports, saying, “Lately they've been calling me the Brazilian killer, but I really don't like that…I have beat a lot of Brazilians and there's one Brazilian guy I'd like to face and that's Anderson Silva.”
Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter commented on Davis’ performance:
Teixeira will have to go to the back of the championship-contention line after back-to-back losses, but Davis’ future looks bright once again. One possible fight that could come out of this fight would be Davis vs. Rashad Evans in a rematch from 2012.
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Evans defeated Davis via unanimous decision, but the second bout between the men would be a marquee bout that could co-headline a PPV. The light heavyweight division is crowded at the top with Jones, Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson, and the battle between Evans and Davis would be a great test of which fighter deserves an eventual title shot.
Regardless of who is next, Davis proved once again he can compete with the best fighters in the sport. While a matchup against Anderson Silva looks like a pipe dream right now, there is always a chance Dana White and UFC officials schedule Davis vs. John.
Aftermath and Aldo's Career Trajectory
Aldo’s title reign ended in his next outing. Conor McGregor knocked him out in 13 seconds in that contest. Aldo won the interim title in 2016. He was later promoted to undisputed champion. He lost that title in 2017 to Max Holloway.
Aldo then went 2-2 in his next four fights. He dropped to bantamweight in 2019. In his first fight at 135 pounds, Aldo dropped a split decision to Marlon Moraes.
Even though Aldo ended up on the losing end of that contest, he earned a title shot. On Saturday, Aldo faces Petr Yan for the vacant UFC bantamweight title. The fight takes place at UFC 251.
Jose Aldo vs Chad Mendes 2 | FREE FIGHT | EA Alter Egos
UFC 251 takes place Saturday, July 11 at Fight Island on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The pay-per-view card streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ and early prelims on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass.
UFC 251 is headlined by three title fights. In the main event, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal.
Let's take a look at the key stats from their memorable fight at UFC 179:
| Statistic | Jose Aldo | Chad Mendes |
|---|---|---|
| Significant Strikes Landed | 87 | 65 |
| Takedown Attempts | 1 | 7 |
| Takedown Accuracy | 0% | 28% |
| Total Strikes Landed | 98 | 72 |
These stats highlight the intense back-and-forth action that defined the fight. Aldo's striking accuracy and Mendes' takedown attempts tell the story of a classic striker vs. grappler matchup.
The Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes fight at UFC 179 remains a testament to the skill, heart, and determination of both fighters. It's a bout that will continue to be celebrated by MMA fans for years to come.
Jose Aldo of Brazil punches Chad Mendes in their featherweight championship bout during the UFC 179 event at Maracanazinho on October 25, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Chad Mendes of the United States attempts to take down Jose Aldo of Brazil in their featherweight championship bout during the UFC 179 event at Maracanazinho on October 25, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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