At UFC 179, Jose Aldo will attempt to keep his reign over the 145-pound division going in a rematch with Chad Mendes.
Since being named the UFC featherweight titleholder after two title defenses under the WEC banner, Aldo has retained his belt six times inside the Octagon.
Of the six UFC opponents Aldo has faced, Mendes may have been the farthest from dethroning the Brazilian. However, Mendes has earned a second crack at Aldo and is widely considered to be the biggest threat to the champion’s crown.
Mendes has gone 5-0 since his loss to Aldo, scoring four knockouts along the way. With three consecutive wins over Top 15 featherweights, Mendes has done about all he could to prove he’s at least the second best 145-pounder in the world.
With this featherweight championship bout quickly approaching, here is a look at the keys to victory for both fighters.
Jose Aldo: Stay on the Outside and Prevent Mendes from Completing Takedowns
In his initial clash with Mendes, Aldo did outstanding work in defending takedowns.
Despite attempting seven inside five minutes, Mendes was unable to take Aldo down.
There was an instance where Aldo deliberately grabbed the cage to prevent a takedown. However, prior to that rule violation, he stuffed several attempts in the center of the Octagon.
It wasn’t until after Aldo fended off a later takedown attempt that he landed the knee that ended the bout.
While the Brazilian proved he can shut down Mendes‘ wrestling, it would still be in his best interest to keep his distance on Saturday.
Having a significant reach advantage, Aldo doesn’t need to go out of his way to finish Mendes again. He can nip and tuck his way to a decision victory while wearing Mendes down with his devastating leg kicks.
On the attempt where Mendes was closest to completing a takedown on Aldo, the champion sprung back to his feet as soon as he hit the canvas, preventing Mendes from securing the position.
A high-level wrestler, Mendes is capable of shutting Aldo down for an entire round should he settle in on top.
Chad Mendes: Control the Center and Don’t Attempt Takedowns in the Open
Mendes‘ game plan obviously has to involve getting Aldo to the ground.
The champion is one of the most talented strikers in MMA history, and while Mendes has shown improvement in his stand-up over recent appearances, he’s still likely multiple steps below Aldo in that realm.
Rather than allowing Aldo to set the pace, Mendes needs to pressure the titleholder, which few challengers have been able to do.
If he fails to do so, Mendes will be forced to attempt takedowns in open space, as he did in the first meeting. Aldo is too quick and slippery to take down when he has room to work with.
In order to be successful, Mendes will need to corner Aldo and score takedowns on the perimeter.
Yes, he might have to deal with Aldo grabbing the fence and will need to hope the referee handles that, but Mendes came much closer to completing a takedown against the cage than he did on his multiple attempts out in the center in their last fight.
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