Chad Mendes
Verbal agreements are in place pitting recent victor Chad ‘Money’ Mendes (13-1) and former WEC featherweight contender Manvel ‘The Pitbull’ Gamburyan (12-7) against one another for the upcoming UFC 157 pay-per-view event.
Officials announced the match, as well as confirming a welterweight bout between ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler and Josh Koscheck, earlier today at UFC.com.
The featherweight division has never been stronger and adding to the avalanche of Anaheim match-ups, Chad Mendes and Manvel Gamburyan will go at it in a wrestling vs judo clash. In addition, Dennis Bermudez and Matt Grice will meet in a pairing of wrestling powerhouses also known for their ability to brawl.
UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche is expected to take place on February 23, 2013 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The event features the first women’s bout inside the Octagon as women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey puts her newly minted UFC title on the line against Liz ‘Girl-Rilla’ Carmouche in the headliner.
Mendes was in action less than a week ago, picking up a first round knockout win over newcomer Yaotzin Meza at the UFC on FX 6 show in Australia. ‘Money’ had been scheduled to meet Hacran Dias but a shoulder injury last week forced Dias off the card. The win was the second straight for Mendes who picked up another KO victory after stopping Cody McKenzie in 31-seconds at UFC 148.
Gamburyan stopped a three fight losing skid by winning a unanimous decision over Michihiro Omigawa at UFC on FOX 5 last August. The previous losses included a decision defeat to Diego Nunes at UFC 141, a majority decision loss to Tyson Griffin at UFC on Versus 4 and a knockout loss to Jose Aldo at WEC 51 for the WEC 145-lbs strap.