Jose Aldo vs Chad Mendes: Since transitioning from the WEC to the UFC Jose Aldo has defended his UFC featherweight title twice, winning both fights by unanimous decision. Prior to those two fights Aldo had not had two fights go the distance since stringing three wins together between May 2006 and July 2007. Overall, Aldo will bring a record of 20-1 into this fight.
Aldo is the better striker of the two, he has unmatched speed with both his punches and kicks, but his kicks are especially devastating. The problem he has going into this fight is that he is facing a skilled wrestler in the 10-0 Mendes, who would like nothing more than to catch one of those kicks and put Aldo to the ground, where he can impose his will.
I look for Aldo to be evasive in this fight, using more arm strikes than kicks and doing everything he can to keep the fight standing, his speed should allow him to do that. Aldo by unanimous decision.
Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson: Two dangerous strikers will face off in the evening’s co-main event. Belfort, an MMA veteran will be looking to make a statement in this fight, in the hopes that it launches him toward another shot at the UFC middleweight title. His opponent, Johnson, will be making the leap up to middleweight from welterweight for this scrap, but that doesn’t give Belfort a size advantage. Johnson was a huge welterweight and he’ll still be a big middleweight and will have a height and reach advantage over Belfort. Belfort is the more experienced of the two and has faced stiffer competition. With that in mind, don’t be surprised if Johnson goes the same route he went in the Dan Hardy bout, taking his opponent to the mat and grinding out the decision. I want to say that this will be an exciting rock ‘em sock ‘em stand up war, but I’m not confident that it will be. I see Johnson fighting the smart, but unexciting fight and taking the decision.