Chad Mendes returned in a big way to the Octagon after being out of action.
The reason for Mendes’ inactivity was due to a failed drug test because if you recall, back in July of 2016, USADA announced that Mendes had received a two-year sanction for an anti-doping policy violation after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
He tested positive for GHRP-6 (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hexapeptide) following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on May 17, 2016 and before this weekend, he was last seen in the Octagon when competed against Frankie Edgar at the TUF 22 Finale.
As seen on the main card of Saturday’s (July 15, 2018) UFC Boise (also known as UFC Fight Night 133) at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho, Mendes scored a TKO win over Myles Jury in a featherweight showdown in the first round.
Following the fight, Mendes made it known that he believes that the UFC should rank him top 3 in the featherweight division as a result of this win and also discussed a potential fight with Alex Volkanovski, who earned a dominant win over Mendes’ Team Alpha Male teammate, Darren Elkins at this event.
“I think I left at No. 2 or No. 3 – put me back in there,” Mendes told MMAjunkie post-fight. “That’s where I belong. There’s some newer guys moving into the division, but I feel like I match up with these guys. My athleticism, my power, my speed, my wrestling back. I think it’s just going to be too much for these guys to handle. I feel confident going against any of these dudes. Put me right back where I was.”
“That guy’s not even ranked,” Mendes said. “That doesn’t make sense for me. He did just beat a teammate. If they put him high enough in the rankings, I’d love to knock that dude out. … It’s up to the UFC. That was a quick fight for me, and if they want to give me something in a few months or towards the end of the year, I think my managers are going to negotiate with them soon. We’ll see what they think. I’m game for anything.”
“That felt good,” Mendes said. “I’m on Cloud 9 right now. Just being able to go out there and get a finish like that in an environment like that, with so many friends and family in the crowd, is just unbelievable. This is what I kill myself day in and day out for – getting a finish like that.”
Mendes looked great in this fight and didn’t take much damage, which would make some fight fans believe that with him being on the sidelines for such a long period of time, he would want to return to the Octagon for his next fight sooner rather than later. With all of that being said, it should be interesting to see who the UFC books him against next.
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