Nearly three years ago, Jose Aldo established himself as a UFC sensation with a first-round knockout of Chad Mendes to retain the UFC Featherweight Championship. Neither fighter has suffered a defeat since, setting up a rematch for the title on Saturday night.
Aldo enters the bout on a 17-fight winning streak that dates back to 2005. His most recent triumph came back in February against Ricardo Lamas. Mendes has bounced back perfectly since the defeat, which was the first of his career, winning five straight to get another shot at the belt.
The second clash between the division’s two most consistent forces should provide plenty of drama. So let’s check out all of the important information for UFC 179 followed by a preview and prediction for the main event.
Main Card Viewing Info
Where: Ginasio do Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro
When: Saturday, Oct. 25 at 10 p.m. ET
Watch: Pay-Per-View
Preview
The first fight between the pair was far more competitive than the result would make it appear. Aldo and Mendes actually battled back and forth throughout the round. For a brief period, it even looked like the challenger might finish it with the upper hand.
Aldo’s quick thinking and execution right before the bell led to a quick finish, though. He was able to twist his way out of a defensive position while at the same time delivering a knee that would knock Mendes down before delivering the final strikes.
It was an impressive display from the champion. Yet it’s not a performance that should have Mendes in any way discouraged heading into the rematch. A great fighter just pulled off a terrific move.
Now, the question is whether he can pull off an upset this time around. Reed Kuhn, author of Fightnomics, passed along some stats that suggest it should be a pretty level fight:
Ultimately, these are two fighters with similar styles. There should be extended stretches of highly entertaining exchanges in the middle of the octagon. Neither guy is afraid of getting into an all-out brawl if that’s what the situation warrants.
Aldo has been the leader of the pack in the featherweight division for a long time. But Mendes is confident the tide has finally shifted in his favor.
Damon Martin of Fox Sports provided comments from the American, who says other facets of life are starting to take over for the champion:
I think lately he’s just got a lot on his plate. He just got married and had a baby recently. Those two things are very, very time consuming. Those extra days you’d be spending those extra hours in the gym, now he’s rushing home to be with his wife and baby. So those extra hours that he’s missing out on, those are the hours I’m putting in, in the gym.
I think I’ve caught up and passed him up. I truly believe this is my time. We’ve seen his reign for a while, but I’ve studied him, I’ve fought him. I truly believe it’s my turn.
The biggest key for Mendes is establishing a more moderate pace. He came out in the first meeting looking to prove he could hang with Aldo and did so for most of the opening round. But when he tried to do a little too much, the Brazilian capitalized.
Now, he’s clearly confident he can hang with Aldo. So he can take a more conservative approach, choosing when to make a push by trying to land some significant strikes. Then he can back off if he feels the momentum changing.
Yet the reason Aldo has gone unbeaten for so long is his ability to adapt. His combination of athleticism and experience allows him to thrive whether it’s a grind like his win over Lamas or more of an engaging battle like the first meeting with Mendes.
The only constant along the way has been his trademark kicks to wear down opponents. It’s not any single kick that usually causes serious damage but rather the cumulative effect that starts to show up in the later rounds.
All things considered, this should be a close fight. Mendes has closed whatever gap existed a couple years ago and seems ready to go the distance if necessary. Figuring out a way to outscore Aldo is an extremely difficult challenge, though.
It’s just too tough to pick against Aldo unless he shows a noticeable drop-off in performance. Since that hasn’t happened, expect him to find a way to come out on top yet again.
Prediction: Aldo by unanimous decision
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