Jose Aldo came into Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a home-field advantage, a streak of wins that dates back to 2005, an unblemished UFC record of only 2-0, and arguably the most dynamic striking in the featherweight division.
Naturally, though, somebody forgot to tell Aldo that Chad “Money” Mendes was out to expose his lack of takedown defense.
Lack of takedown defense, you say?
What lack of takedown defense?
When Aldo wasn’t responsive to Mendes’ leg kicks by way of his his own leg kicks, he fended off Mendes’ double-leg takedown as he wasn’t supposed to, he stuffed Mendes’ attempts at a single-leg takedown as he wasn’t supposed, and he landed on his feet when Mario Yamasaki somehow missed Aldo grabbing the cage.
What followed was one hellacious knee that knocked Mendes out, followed by a big right hand and a follow-up shot from the left hand.
Now, as it pertains to the whole “CageGate,” one would have to be ridiculous to not have seen it, and even though Yamasaki basically handed Carlo Prater a win in his bout with Erick Silva, he didn’t even seem to admonish the champion for the infraction.
That being said, is it serious to the point of you’re desiring to see a rematch, MMA world?
Had Aldo pushed off the cage instead of holding on to it, would Mendes really have proved any of the Aldo haters correct about Aldo’s supposed lack of takedown defense?
No, he would not have.
Deny it as you wish, but you all saw how Aldo landed on the one takedown Mendes got.
You’re really going to say Mendes would have gotten all of it if Aldo hadn’t grabbed the fence, seriously?
On the contrary, MMA world, what would have happened if Aldo never grabbed the fence is no different from what happened when he did grab the fence; Aldo would have caught Mendes with a ferocious knee and rained down with a right hand and a left hand.
The only real difference?
Aldo would have closed and incinerated the casket on Mendes’ title hopes just a few seconds earlier than what he did on this night.
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