Author: Duane Finley

UFC 189: Chad Mendes Welcomes Everything About Fight with Conor McGregor

“You don’t have to get ready when you stay ready” is a common saying in combat sports, and Chad Mendes is proof of the substance behind the cliche. 
After suffering setbacks in his two attempts to dethrone featherweight king Jose Aldo from his lon…

“You don’t have to get ready when you stay ready” is a common saying in combat sports, and Chad Mendes is proof of the substance behind the cliche. 

After suffering setbacks in his two attempts to dethrone featherweight king Jose Aldo from his long reign atop the 145-pound division, it appeared as if the Team Alpha Male staple would need to cover some serious real estate in his weight class before putting himself into title contention once again. Yet mixed martial arts is a sport where anything can happen and often does, and just when the Sacramento-based fighter was settling in to work his way back to the top, the opportunity of a lifetime came in a call from the UFC.

When Aldo suffered a rib injury that could potentially force him out of his highly anticipated bout against Conor McGregor at UFC 189 on July 11, the UFC reached out to see if Mendes would be interested in stepping in should the Nova Uniao standout be unable to go. Without wasting a moment, he jumped on the opportunity and was in Las Vegas 24 hours later beginning his preparation.

As things would shake out, Aldo withdrew from his main event bout against the Irish upstart, and suddenly the UFC’s Plan B became the new showcase fight for the promotion’s biggest card of the year. 

Now, where Mendes was in championship limbo following his second loss to Aldo, he will have the opportunity to become the interim 145-pound champion with a victory over McGregor. He has dreamed of becoming a UFC titleholder since his professional career began seven years ago, and short notice or not, the 30-year-old Californian has every intention of making his dream come true Saturday night. 

“I’m feeling damn good right now,” Mendes told the media in attendance for UFC 189 open workouts. “I’m the type of guy that over-trains pretty damn quick so three to four weeks into a training camp I feel peaked out. With the base that I already had built, jumping into this two-and-half-week training camp was actually perfect.

“I feel so ready. I feel fast and explosive. I don’t feel full of injuries and beat up, but only time will tell. I feel great heading into Saturday night is all I can say.”

Shortly after the UFC announced Mendes was in, heated talk between the perennial featherweight contender and the Dublin-born superstar commenced. The SBG Ireland representative has proved to be equally apt in the art of verbal warfare as he is at settling his opposition inside the cage, but Mendes has shrugged off every barb McGregor has launched in his direction. 

He knows every taunt McGregor rolls out will ultimately translate into more attention surrounding the fight, and the more attention, the better when it comes to promoting their fight.

“It’s always exciting to get in there when there is a lot of hype surrounding a fight,” Mendes said. “It’s actually tough to get in there when there is none. Sometimes, it’s tough to stay motivated to stay in the gym when you are going through the same grind every single day. When you have something feeding your fire, it’s great.

“[Trash-talk] is all just part of it. I’ve been a top-level competitor my entire life, and I’ve dealt with it plenty in the past. I get in there, deal with it and beat them up and go on with your life. This is just part of it and what has put all these microphones in front of me today. I’m 100 percent OK with it. This is a huge opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to get in there and perform.”

And while Mendes has earned huge opportunities before and stumbled in those showings, the basic foundation of his drive is to keeping getting up and pushing forward despite the setbacks that may arise along the way. That caliber of determination is one his friend and mentor Urijah Faber has seen in Mendes even before he jumped into MMA, and it’s a quality the Team Alpha Male leader has seen thrive in Mendes as he has worked to become one of the best 145-pound fighters in the world.

“It’s exciting to see what he’s done,” Urijah Faber told Bleacher Report. “I’ve known him since he was in high school, and that’s when I started recruiting him. To see him realize his dream as a professional fighter as the world champ is pretty amazing. It’s always exciting to have him get in and be able to perform at any level, take the bull by the horns and get a big victory.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Benson Henderson: New Division, Same Championship Aspirations

Benson Henderson is ready to face the best the world has to offer, but he’ll be doing it in a different weight class for the foreseeable future.
After successfully rolling the dice in a higher weight class against dangerous striker Brandon Thatch back …

Benson Henderson is ready to face the best the world has to offer, but he’ll be doing it in a different weight class for the foreseeable future.

After successfully rolling the dice in a higher weight class against dangerous striker Brandon Thatch back in February, the former lightweight champion has decided to vacate his place as a major player in the 155-pound collective and join the ranks of the talent-stacked welterweight division. With his long-held perennial contender status in the lightweight fold going strong, Henderson’s decision to commit himself to a new division came as a surprise to some in the MMA community.

“Fighting at welterweight is the plan now and we are working on building my body for 170 pounds the right way,” Henderson told Bleacher Report. “I want to be as explosive as possible, but not gain too much size. We want to pretty much stay the size we are now, but want to be stronger and have the weight cut be more manageable and not be a soul-crushing experience.

“The size difference is definitely something I’m going to have to adjust to,” he continued. “I spar with different sized guys all the time, but it’s another thing to go out there in a live fight. It was good to go in there and experience that against Thatch, and to come out with that experience being a positive one. It definitely opened the doors up to this decision. We wanted to test the waters and it was a short notice fight at elevation. That’s probably the most undersold or least talked-about element of that fight is it was not only a short notice fight, but that it came at elevation in Denver.”

Yet, Smooth is a fighter who is always looking for new ways to challenge and motivate himself, and the MMA Lab representative is fired up about moving up and trying to reach the top of the mountain in the 170-pound ranks. It’s an ambitious undertaking for Henderson, but facing the toughest tests available has been a hallmark of his time competing at the highest level of the sport. 

For Henderson, the fight game is not about finding some form of mythical traction, because the safest move would have been to remain in the lightweight division or drop down a class like so many other fighters before him have done.

“I’ve never been the type of individual to run with the crowd,” Henderson said. “If everyone is doing something I’m not going to be the guy who also does it just because. I like the idea of going up in weight because there are so many great tests for me there. The idea of going down in weight never appealed to me because the idea of fighting smaller guys does nothing for me. Why not truly test yourself and move up to face competition that are bigger and stronger than you are?

“Those are the fights that interest me because I love testing myself as a mixed martial artist and pushing my boundaries. A lot of guys in this sport say they’ll fight anyone, anywhere at any time, but when the UFC calls they have a reason why they can’t take the fight. I’ve been saying I’ll fight whoever for a long time and I back it up.”

Instead of traveling the path of least resistance, Henderson is looking for the spark that comes with facing uncertainty inside the Octagon. He believes competing in the deep waters of the welterweight division will bring out his best, as it will put his confidence and skills to the maximum test each and every time he enters the cage.

Furthermore, Henderson is looking to turn the best he has to offer into becoming a two-divisional champion under the UFC banner, and it’s a road he’s excited to travel down.

“I just want the quickest route to a title,” Henderson said. “I don’t care if that’s at 155 or 170; I just want to get to the title. But I look at everyone on the lightweight roster and I’m confident I can go five rounds with and beat anybody in the division. [Rafael] dos Anjos? We can do it tonight and I’ll get my hand raised. Anthony Pettis? I’ll go five rounds with him tonight and get my hand raised. I feel very confident that I can beat everybody and anybody at lightweight, but it isn’t quite the same thing at 170. 

“It’s all about getting to the title in the quickest route possible. We looked at things and think it’s a quicker path for me at 170 because dos Anjos is currently holding the title. Even though he beat me due to an early stoppage in my opinion, the UFC made it clear I was going to have to take a lot of steps before I got another title shot at 155. We’re hoping to make a big splash at welterweight and get a big-name draw right out of the gates.”

Henderson’s high-profile status in the lightweight ranks is precisely the caliber of recognition that would appeal to a hungry contender on the rise, but that hasn’t exactly been the case as of late.

The Arizona-based fighter’s versatile, cardio-driven attack has proven to be a difficult matchup for anyone who tangles with him inside the cage, and the type of fight he brings apparently isn’t necessarily welcoming in an environment where winning dictates value, and in some cases continued employment with the UFC.

When those circumstances are added to a recent loss to the fighter who would go on to become the 155-pound champion, Rafael dos Anjos, it creates a scenario where Henderson would have to travel an extended path to reach another championship opportunity. And that’s not something he’s interested in.

The 31-year-old cardio machine is hungry to get back into a heated title race and sees the welterweight division as the best place for him to put his bid in. By doing so, Henderson knows he’s once again jumping into a high-stakes situation, but those are the exact conditions he’s looking for. Henderson wants each test to mean more than the last, and he’s confident he’ll be able to truly test his skills against the larger competition that’s waiting for him in the 170-pound division.

“There aren’t a lot of guys at lightweight who wanted to fight me, but we are hoping one of the bigger names at 170 will be up for it,” Henderson said. “I’m hoping they look at me and take the matchup because they’ll be bigger and stronger and think they can beat me up. And since I have a decent name and it would be an easy fight for them they would jump at the chance to fight me.

“On my side of things, getting my hand raised against a guy who is top-ranked in the welterweight division would put me right up near the top where I want to be, but things haven’t really worked out that way so far. There haven’t been any takers at 170 who want to dance, either.

“I’m a tough matchup for anyone,” he added. “If you are a hardcore takedown specialist who needs to get me to the ground to win the fight you’re going to have a really hard time doing that. If you are a stand-up guy I’m willing to fight you there as well. In my last fight with Donald Cerrone, even though he got his hand raised in an interesting decision, I went toe-to-toe with him for the entire fight. I’m stylistically a tough matchup for a lot of people, and I don’t see that changing at welterweight.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Benson Henderson: New Division, Same Championship Aspirations

Benson Henderson is ready to face the best the world has to offer, but he’ll be doing it in a different weight class for the foreseeable future.
After successfully rolling the dice in a higher weight class against dangerous striker Brandon Thatch back …

Benson Henderson is ready to face the best the world has to offer, but he’ll be doing it in a different weight class for the foreseeable future.

After successfully rolling the dice in a higher weight class against dangerous striker Brandon Thatch back in February, the former lightweight champion has decided to vacate his place as a major player in the 155-pound collective and join the ranks of the talent-stacked welterweight division. With his long-held perennial contender status in the lightweight fold going strong, Henderson’s decision to commit himself to a new division came as a surprise to some in the MMA community.

“Fighting at welterweight is the plan now and we are working on building my body for 170 pounds the right way,” Henderson told Bleacher Report. “I want to be as explosive as possible, but not gain too much size. We want to pretty much stay the size we are now, but want to be stronger and have the weight cut be more manageable and not be a soul-crushing experience.

“The size difference is definitely something I’m going to have to adjust to,” he continued. “I spar with different sized guys all the time, but it’s another thing to go out there in a live fight. It was good to go in there and experience that against Thatch, and to come out with that experience being a positive one. It definitely opened the doors up to this decision. We wanted to test the waters and it was a short notice fight at elevation. That’s probably the most undersold or least talked-about element of that fight is it was not only a short notice fight, but that it came at elevation in Denver.”

Yet, Smooth is a fighter who is always looking for new ways to challenge and motivate himself, and the MMA Lab representative is fired up about moving up and trying to reach the top of the mountain in the 170-pound ranks. It’s an ambitious undertaking for Henderson, but facing the toughest tests available has been a hallmark of his time competing at the highest level of the sport. 

For Henderson, the fight game is not about finding some form of mythical traction, because the safest move would have been to remain in the lightweight division or drop down a class like so many other fighters before him have done.

“I’ve never been the type of individual to run with the crowd,” Henderson said. “If everyone is doing something I’m not going to be the guy who also does it just because. I like the idea of going up in weight because there are so many great tests for me there. The idea of going down in weight never appealed to me because the idea of fighting smaller guys does nothing for me. Why not truly test yourself and move up to face competition that are bigger and stronger than you are?

“Those are the fights that interest me because I love testing myself as a mixed martial artist and pushing my boundaries. A lot of guys in this sport say they’ll fight anyone, anywhere at any time, but when the UFC calls they have a reason why they can’t take the fight. I’ve been saying I’ll fight whoever for a long time and I back it up.”

Instead of traveling the path of least resistance, Henderson is looking for the spark that comes with facing uncertainty inside the Octagon. He believes competing in the deep waters of the welterweight division will bring out his best, as it will put his confidence and skills to the maximum test each and every time he enters the cage.

Furthermore, Henderson is looking to turn the best he has to offer into becoming a two-divisional champion under the UFC banner, and it’s a road he’s excited to travel down.

“I just want the quickest route to a title,” Henderson said. “I don’t care if that’s at 155 or 170; I just want to get to the title. But I look at everyone on the lightweight roster and I’m confident I can go five rounds with and beat anybody in the division. [Rafael] dos Anjos? We can do it tonight and I’ll get my hand raised. Anthony Pettis? I’ll go five rounds with him tonight and get my hand raised. I feel very confident that I can beat everybody and anybody at lightweight, but it isn’t quite the same thing at 170. 

“It’s all about getting to the title in the quickest route possible. We looked at things and think it’s a quicker path for me at 170 because dos Anjos is currently holding the title. Even though he beat me due to an early stoppage in my opinion, the UFC made it clear I was going to have to take a lot of steps before I got another title shot at 155. We’re hoping to make a big splash at welterweight and get a big-name draw right out of the gates.”

Henderson’s high-profile status in the lightweight ranks is precisely the caliber of recognition that would appeal to a hungry contender on the rise, but that hasn’t exactly been the case as of late.

The Arizona-based fighter’s versatile, cardio-driven attack has proven to be a difficult matchup for anyone who tangles with him inside the cage, and the type of fight he brings apparently isn’t necessarily welcoming in an environment where winning dictates value, and in some cases continued employment with the UFC.

When those circumstances are added to a recent loss to the fighter who would go on to become the 155-pound champion, Rafael dos Anjos, it creates a scenario where Henderson would have to travel an extended path to reach another championship opportunity. And that’s not something he’s interested in.

The 31-year-old cardio machine is hungry to get back into a heated title race and sees the welterweight division as the best place for him to put his bid in. By doing so, Henderson knows he’s once again jumping into a high-stakes situation, but those are the exact conditions he’s looking for. Henderson wants each test to mean more than the last, and he’s confident he’ll be able to truly test his skills against the larger competition that’s waiting for him in the 170-pound division.

“There aren’t a lot of guys at lightweight who wanted to fight me, but we are hoping one of the bigger names at 170 will be up for it,” Henderson said. “I’m hoping they look at me and take the matchup because they’ll be bigger and stronger and think they can beat me up. And since I have a decent name and it would be an easy fight for them they would jump at the chance to fight me.

“On my side of things, getting my hand raised against a guy who is top-ranked in the welterweight division would put me right up near the top where I want to be, but things haven’t really worked out that way so far. There haven’t been any takers at 170 who want to dance, either.

“I’m a tough matchup for anyone,” he added. “If you are a hardcore takedown specialist who needs to get me to the ground to win the fight you’re going to have a really hard time doing that. If you are a stand-up guy I’m willing to fight you there as well. In my last fight with Donald Cerrone, even though he got his hand raised in an interesting decision, I went toe-to-toe with him for the entire fight. I’m stylistically a tough matchup for a lot of people, and I don’t see that changing at welterweight.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Stephen Thompson Aiming for Breakout Performance Against Jake Ellenberger

It only takes a few minutes of watching Stephen Thompson fight to realize there’s something special about him.
Granted, a nickname like Wonderboy and a highly decorated resume from his time in kickboxing serve as proper setups, but this is MMA, and gre…

It only takes a few minutes of watching Stephen Thompson fight to realize there’s something special about him.

Granted, a nickname like Wonderboy and a highly decorated resume from his time in kickboxing serve as proper setups, but this is MMA, and greatness in a prior realm is never guaranteed to translate into the world of cage fighting.

For a fighter who has been throwing his hands and feet with bad intentions from a variety of angles with great success since the age of 12, needing more than what was previously required is undoubtedly a strange wrinkle to face.

Six fights into his time under the UFC banner, though, Thompson appears to be not only adjusting but thriving in a sport where his incredible striking acumen is just one of a multitude of tools required for victory to be achieved.

This will certainly be the case as the 32-year-old Pitch Black MMA representative moves deeper into the highly competitive ranks of the UFC’s welterweight division, and an upcoming bout against perennial contender Jake Ellenberger at The Ultimate Fighter 21 finale is a surefire sign that he’s getting closer to the top of the 170-pound ladder.

During his time in the Octagon, The Juggernaut has faced some of the best fighters in the world in his weight class, and the fight is figured to be the biggest test yet for the Simpsonville, South Carolina native.

Ellenberger represents the caliber of test Thompson has been hungry to receive, and he’s confident his performance in Las Vegas will show he’s ready to face the best his division has to offer.

“It’s awesome to be fighting in a main event against an opponent ranked in the top 10,” Thompson said. “I was supposed to have a main event fight back in February, but I ended up injuring my rib and was forced to pull out of the fight. They asked me to be the main event again for this fight, and hopefully that means the UFC is realizing I’m an exciting fighter. That’s pretty cool, but facing a top-ranked fighter like Ellenberger is awesome.

“Jake is a tough dude and with good wrestling. He’s fought some of the best. His last three losses were against the top three guys in our weight class. I hope this fight is going to show everyone the improvements I’ve made with my wrestling skills since the Matt Brown fight,” he laughed. “Everyone bases my wrestling off that one fight, and that’s an area I believe I’ve made a tremendous amount of progress in. Wherever the fight goes, I feel comfortable with it.”

Every time Thompson sets foot inside the Octagon, he will do so knowing he has the advantage in the striking department against any man he faces.

On the flip side, the surging welterweight is also well aware of areas in his all-around game that are vulnerable and have a high probability of being attacked by his opposition.

After coming out on the losing end of a wrestling-heavy affair against Brown at UFC 145 back in 2012, the karate-based fighter has worked diligently to shore up and strengthen his grappling skills to round out his skills and ensure he’s adept wherever his fights may take place.

A big factor in his progression has been his constant work with undefeated middleweight champion Chris Weidman.

The Serra-Longo leader and Thompson have helped each other prepare for their respective opponents over the past three years. The time spent doing the rigorous work that goes down within the walls of an MMA gym has forged a friendship between the two men based on mutual respect and love for the fight game.

“I’ve spent a lot of time training with Chris Weidman,” Thompson said. “He came down to train with me and spar a few weeks ago, and I went up to train with him before his last fight. There is no one in this weight class who is going to be as strong as Chris Weidman.

“Chris had me come up and help him out for his first fight with Anderson [Silva.] We’ve been good buddies ever since. He’s come down for my camps and I’ve gone up to New York to help him with his. I was up there last week working with him and it’s been great. He’s not only an incredible fighter, but he’s a family man as well. But he really pushes me. Doing five five-minute rounds with Chris is ‘Oh my gosh’ rough and he’s the champ for a reason. He’s a monster and I definitely feel it.”

In addition to his work with the reigning king of the 185-pound fold, Thompson has also brought in additional talents to help him improve in the areas he admits he was once “fairly green” in.

Canadian wrestler Matt Miller and jiu-jitsu wizard Ryan Hall are just two of the powerhouses he’s hit the mat with during his preparation to face Ellenberger at the TUF 21 finale.

In a longer view, facing world-class talent inside the gym is not only for his immediate challenge coming on July 12 but knowing what will be required in order for him to achieve his ultimate goal. Thompson isn’t content with being one of the best fighters in his weight class—he’s in it to become the very best without question.

He is aiming at winning the welterweight strap and willing to invest everything he has mentally and physically to ensure he’ll be ready when the time to make that dream a reality comes.

In order to do that, he’ll need to continue winning fights, and Thompson is keenly aware of how every challenge on the road to a title shot will only get tougher and more dangerous. It is a path he’s excited to travel, and his fight against Ellenberger will be the perfect opportunity to convince the UFC he’s ready for the big time.

“I’m looking at this fight as a huge opportunity because I want to get that title,” Thompson said. “Some guys fight in the UFC just for the payday and they are not interested in becoming a champion, but that’s not me. I’d fight for free to be honest with you. I just love doing it. I’ve been involved in martial arts since I was three and started competing at 12 years old. I want to go all the way.

“When I beat Jake Ellenberger and break that top 10, we’ll see where it goes from there, but I’m excited. There are a lot of tough guys in the upper tier of this division and I definitely have to be on top of my game and continue to better myself.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Fighting Life: The Indomitable Spirit of Matt Brown

In mixed martial arts, there is little personal discovery to be found until the limits of a comfort zone are left behind. Adversity comes in many forms, and once the pressure is applied, the reality of what a fighter can and can’t handle comes front an…

In mixed martial arts, there is little personal discovery to be found until the limits of a comfort zone are left behind. Adversity comes in many forms, and once the pressure is applied, the reality of what a fighter can and can’t handle comes front and center. And while every man will eventually stumble under the bright lights, the refusal to break forges something unique that can be used when needed.

The Rust Belt is a place where luxuries come few and far between, and Matt Brown is no stranger to fighting for more out of life. Industry forgotten and sustained despite hardship served as the backdrop to his humble upbringing in Central Ohio, and those conditions provided an early education to the Columbus native.

Nothing was given to him—only earned—and The Immortal has spent the past decade constantly pressing to evolve from the foundation those tough times provided.

You can see glimpses of his hard-scrabble past in his hard-charging style inside the Octagon, as the 34-year-old welterweight’s aggressive attack and relentless pursuit of victory have made him a staple in one of the most talent-stacked divisions in the UFC.

Just as it takes going through dark times to make great jazz music, you don’t fight the way Brown fights unless putting everything on the line has been a common practice.

Yet, his personal search revolves around more than being a successful fighter. He’s willing to push himself to great lengths because he knows that’s where he’ll learn more about what he’s capable of. And therein lies the greatest source of motivation for the scrappy knockout artist.

It’s not about money, fame or the thrills of competing at the highest level of MMA; it’s about the test and finding what exists each time he crosses the battle lines. 

“There is no question you are what your habits are,” Brown told Bleacher Report. “You are a product of what you do on a daily basis. When you go through a lot of adversity as a youth or a young adult, overcoming that adversity becomes a habit. It becomes familiar to you.

“On the flip side, some people take a different path and spend their lives making excuses for not overcoming it and making their lives better. One of my favorite lyrics is from a Hatebreed song that says, ‘It’s our struggles that define us.’ I say it all the time. It’s a perfect quote and the perfect way to say it because how you deal with adversity makes you who you are.

“Everybody can be a happy and wonderful person every day of their life when things are going great. Now let’s take some of that away and see what kind of person you are. I try to define myself every single day by not allowing the down side of things bring me down and get to me.”

While some people need additional incentive to face life’s challenges, Brown’s determination to push forward is farmed from within. His growth requires no outside catalyst for his drive because he knows tests and trials will come every day.

For Brown, the quest for personal definition is always the primary driving force. He also believes answers can only be found after the truly difficult questions are asked.

“I’m a self-motivated individual,” Brown said. “I’m not exactly sure why it is that way, but I never have a hard time finding motivation. I talk to a lot of people about what they want out of this sport. What are you doing every day and what motivates you? What brings you to this sport? Why do you want to this and not go out and get a college degree and be an accountant or something?

“For me personally, the thing I want out of the sport is what motivates me. The answer to this question is all I need for motivation. If your motivation is money, women or fame, that’s where people find a lack of motivation because those aren’t real authentic things that can inspire you every day.”

Brown has spent the majority of the past three years riding a wave of momentum, but his next showing inside the Octagon will come with different circumstances attached. He rose to contention in the 170-pound ranks on the strength of a seven-fight winning streak but will enter his showdown with Tim Means at UFC 189 on Saturday, July 11 having lost back-to-back fights. 

The amount of talent in the upper tier of the welterweight fold creates an environment where there is little room for error, and a third consecutive setback would likely cost Brown his place in the coveted Top 10 of the divisional rankings. He’s well-aware of the situation, but at the same time, he’s approaching it with his signature tenacity on full blast.

He knows Dirty Bird will come to throw down at UFC 189, but he also sees the Arizona native threatening to undo all the work he invested to climb back from the brink of obscurity and surge up the welterweight ladder to become a certified threat to the 170-pound title.

“If I don’t walk out of this fight with my hand raised, I’ve dropped a lot of what I’ve worked for over the past few years,” Brown said. “I’m not saying that is going to happen, but it’s the fight game and that is a real possibility. That said, I’m not going to focus on making that happen. I’m going to focus on what I need to do today to make that happen. I’m going to focus on being the best I can be, and let’s hope that is enough to beat Tim Means. I truly believe it will be.

“[Tim Means] is a scrappy dude. I think he’s a little underrated, and I really don’t know exactly what he’s capable of. I don’t think he’s shown the best he can be yet, and I’m probably going to bring the best out of him. This is a huge opportunity for him, and I think we are going to see the best Tim Means, and I’m going to bring the best Matt Brown, so we’ll see what happens.

“Every time I fight, I’m motivated to go out there and do what I gotta do, but when you lose, it puts a little more kick in your ass and tells you there’s something you aren’t doing right,” he added. “You have to go after it a little harder, and what really defines a person is how they deal with struggles and adversity. I want to go out there and define myself next weekend.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jose Aldo Publishes X-Rays of Broken Rib, Takes Shot at Conor McGregor

Reigning king of the UFC’s featherweight division Jose Aldo has been catching a lot of heat since he made the decision to withdraw from his highly anticipated bout against Conor McGregor at UFC 189.
The Brazilian phenom was slated to settle his beef wi…

Reigning king of the UFC’s featherweight division Jose Aldo has been catching a lot of heat since he made the decision to withdraw from his highly anticipated bout against Conor McGregor at UFC 189.

The Brazilian phenom was slated to settle his beef with the Irish upstart on July 11 in Las Vegas, but an injured rib suffered during training ultimately led Aldo to remove himself from his main event showdown with the Dublin native.

Former two-time title challenger Chad Mendes was tapped to be the official replacement, and the Team Alpha Male staple will now face McGregor for the interim featherweight championship in the card’s showcase bout. 

Yet, while Mendes‘ stepping in to face McGregor became official on Tuesday, per UFC President Dana White‘s announcement on ESPN’s SportsCenter, the California-based powerhouse had been on standby since news of Aldo’s injury surfaced last week.

Over that stretch, confusion hung heavily over the situation, as the UFC published a report stating the featherweight champion did not have a fracture but bruised ribs and cartilage damage. 

The varying accounts of the severity of Aldo’s injury coupled with McGregor‘s continued attacks on the long-standing title holder continued to cast doubt about the severity of the Nova Uniao representative’s injury. On Wednesday afternoon, the pound-for-pound great broke his silence in an interview with Brazilian outlet Globo (h/t Damon Martin Fox Sports), where he also published x-rays as proof of his broken rib.

“For three months, every day, I conducted three training sessions. I invested my time and money, bringing in training partners, both in the country and outside, to make the best camp of my life and be ready to defend, for the eighth time, my belt on July 11. Unfortunately, I suffered a broken rib in training, which is proven by an official report.”

“The decision was taken in respect of fans and the UFC, who now consider me the best fighter pound-for-weight world. I could not fight without having 100 percent of my physical condition. Many people told me to fight anyway, due to the money that I could win, but I wouldn’t sell myself, no matter what it may be.

“I fight for love of what I do and for my country.”

With McGregor and Mendes set to square off for an interim title, the promotion put into play following Aldo’s withdrawal at UFC 189 will set up a scenario where the winner of the featherweight title tilt will face Aldo once he’s healed up later in 2015. Junior is the only man to ever hold the undisputed 145-pound strap since the promotion merged with the WEC back in 2011.

Prior to competing inside the Octagon, the 28-year-old Manaus native held the WEC featherweight title and had successfully defended it on two occasions before coming over to compete under the UFC banner.

While Aldo admitted in the interview that being forced to remove himself from the fight was a great disappointment, the striking ace wasn’t exactly keen on the UFC’s implementation of an interim title in his absence.

“The Octagon is my kingdom and there is only room for a king — it’s me. If he wants to participate, you have to be the court jester. If you beat Chad Mendes, the only thing you’ll have is a toy belt to show friends, drunk in the bars of his country, because that’s what an interim title is for me — a toy. The champion is me.”

Aldo is currently in the midst of one of the most impressive runs in MMA history, as his current 18-fight winning streak has kept him out of the loss column for a decade. During that time, he’s risen to be recognized as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, and seven consecutive successful title defenses have kept him firmly positioned at the top of the featherweight ranks.

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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