For Mendes, the matchup represents a return to tough competition that’s long overdue. For Clay, it’s another opportunity to bounce around the Octagon between takedowns and long stretches of top-control. (I’m just saying, remember the beast-version of Clay Guida who put in legendary battles against Roger Huerta and Diego Sanchez? Well, he got tired of losing fights and changed his strategy a bit. It is what it is.)
For Mendes, the matchup represents a return to tough competition that’s long overdue. For Clay, it’s another opportunity to bounce around the Octagon between takedowns and long stretches of top-control. (I’m just saying, remember the beast-version of Clay Guida who put in legendary battles against Roger Huerta and Diego Sanchez? Well, he got tired of losing fights and changed his strategy a bit. It is what it is.)
If there’s one fighter in the UFC featherweight division that nobody seems to want to face these days, it’s former title contender Chad Mendes. The former NCAA All-American wrestler has struggled to find top opponents in his last few fights, not includ…
If there’s one fighter in the UFC featherweight division that nobody seems to want to face these days, it’s former title contender Chad Mendes.
The former NCAA All-American wrestler has struggled to find top opponents in his last few fights, not including the latest incident that saw former Ultimate Fighter finalist Manny Gamburyan drop out of their bout at UFC 157 due to injury. No other fighter could be found by UFC officials to step in on two weeks notice to face Mendes.
Now Mendes finds himself off the upcoming card and waiting word on an opponent who is willing to step up to face him.
It’s a tough spot for one of the division’s best fighters, who was ranked No. 1 in the recent UFC fighter rankings, just below featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Mendes isn’t sure why the best of the best at 145 lbs aren’t willing to face him, but if recent history is any lesson, he’s just not on the top of the list for any top fighter to challenge.
“We’ve tried to set up a few fights, my last three fights, and people have either said just straight up no or stuff has fallen through, injuries have happened, the list goes on. Who knows what’s really happening, but this is our job. This is what we train to do, this is what we get paid to do. I don’t know why any of these guys would not want to fight. That’s how we make money,” Mendes told Bleacher Report.
Mendes isn’t asking for sympathy when it comes to the contender’s race for the featherweight title because he got his shot a year ago and came up short against Jose Aldo at UFC 142. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want to plot a course back to the belt, but to get there it takes facing top notch competition and he’s not finding many challengers to fit that bill lately.
Truth be told, Mendes loves the way he matches up with most of the top fighters vying for the gold at 145 lbs right now. The key is getting one of them to face him in the Octagon.
Is Chad Mendes simply the most dangerous featherweight not holding the belt right now?
“Not to sound cocky or over confident but I believe exactly what you just said,” Mendes responded when asked that question. “Ricardo (Lamas) is a tough guy but I think stylistically I would match up just great with the guy. He doesn’t have a whole lot of super dangerous stuff on his feet. He’s not long overly powerful or anything and relies a lot on wrestling, which is kind of my bread and butter. I think stylistically that would be a good match-up for me.
“The Korean Zombie (Chan Sung Jung) obviously we’ve training together, I know a lot of stuff that the guy has and I’ll just say I’m very confident going against the Zombie. He’s a good guy and everything, but I feel like I am the No. 2 guy right now. Obviously it’s up to the UFC where and when I’m going to fight, if I do, for the belt next. Basically my job is just to keep getting in there and beating whoever they put in front of me.”
As of right now, Ricardo Lamas says he’s locked up for a potential bout that’s yet to be announced for May, and most assume it will be a fight against Chan Sung Jung. Meanwhile, UFC champion Jose Aldo is facing lightweight transfer Anthony Pettis in August.
The most logical choice for Mendes‘ next fight would seemingly fall to two possibilities – former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar or newly minted featherweight Clay Guida. Edgar just went five rounds with the champion in a closely contested bout, and there might not be a quicker path back to the belt for either fighter than facing off with each other.
Clay Guida has always been a top contender and a very well known fighter in the UFC, so his entry to featherweight and willingness to face tough competitors could bode well for Mendes.
Whoever it ends up being, Mendes is putting the featherweight division on notice that 2013 will be a big year for him, and when the calendar comes to a close, he hopes there’s a title shot looming to start the New Year.
Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
Following yesterday’s news that Manny Gamburyan will be kept out of UFC 157 due to a broken thumb and fractured elbow, Chad Mendes wants to make sure he still has an opponent in two weeks. The former UFC featherweight title challenger took to Twit…
Following yesterday’s news that Manny Gamburyan will be kept out of UFC 157 due to a broken thumb and fractured elbow, Chad Mendes wants to make sure he still has an opponent in two weeks.
The former UFC featherweight title challenger took to Twitter almost immediately after Gamburyanconfirmed he was out, asking for a No. 1 contender bout with the surging Ricardo Lamas.
So manny’s out. How bout we find out who the real number one contender is@ricardolamasmma
Lamas has been a man on a mission since dropping down to featherweight, winning four in a row (including three finishes) and defeating quality opposition in Cub Swanson, HatsuHioki and Erik Koch.
Making things even more interesting, “The Bully” responded early this morning, stating that he has already accepted a fight for May.
@chadmendes I already accepted a fight in may, waiting to announce it, but I’m sure our paths will cross.
Let the speculation begin on whom Lamas will fight, but it seems safe to say fellow contender “The Korean Zombie” Chan-Sung Jung is a top candidate for the matchup.
Prior to recovering from shoulder surgery, Jung had won three in a row (all finishes) over the likes of Leonard Garcia, Mark Hominick and Dustin Poirier.
The latest development seems to indicate that Mendes will be removed from the UFC 157 card that’s set for Feb. 23, but don’t rule out someone like NikLentz, Clay Guida or a newly signed fighter to jump at the opportunity to climb the ranks at 145 pounds.
Regardless, the featherweight title picture is going to be on hold for a little while, as champion Jose Aldo is booked to face former WEC lightweight title holder Anthony Pettis on Aug. 3.
(Man, could you imagine if he was like four feet closer to his opponent when he threw that punch? Devastating. / Photo via MMAWeekly)
When you think about it, it is really remarkable how successful and durable UFC featherweight Manny Gamburyan has been in his MMA career considering how many serious and ill-timed injuries he’s sustained. The Armenian judoka lost TUF 5 after suddenly injuring his shoulder during the finals against Nate Diaz and has been sidelined multiple times since then.
“I just want to apologize to the fans and (UFC President) Dana White and the UFC. I’ve been training really hard. We’ll fight down the road for sure. My team was the main event, and we’ve been training together for many years, and I really wanted to be part of it too,” Gamburyan said, referring to his teammate Ronda Rousey, who will be fighting Liz Carmouche in the UFC 157 main event.
(Man, could you imagine if he was like four feet closer to his opponent when he threw that punch? Devastating. / Photo via MMAWeekly)
When you think about it, it is really remarkable how successful and durable UFC featherweight Manny Gamburyan has been in his MMA career considering how many serious and ill-timed injuries he’s sustained. The Armenian judoka lost TUF 5 after suddenly injuring his shoulder during the finals against Nate Diaz and has been sidelined multiple times since then.
“I just want to apologize to the fans and (UFC President) Dana White and the UFC. I’ve been training really hard. We’ll fight down the road for sure. My team was the main event, and we’ve been training together for many years, and I really wanted to be part of it too,” Gamburyan said, referring to his teammate Ronda Rousey, who will be fighting Liz Carmouche in the UFC 157 main event.
Gamburyan estimates that he’ll be sidelined for three months, but will know more when he meets with an orthopedic doctor next week. “The Anvil” hasn’t competed since his unanimous decision win over Michihiro Omigawa at UFC on FOX 4 in August, which snapped a three-fight losing skid.
Now, the question is who Chad Mendes will fight instead. Though the UFC has been giving Mendes cupcake after cupcake since his failed title challenge against Jose Aldo in January 2012, “Money” is in no mood for another easy match. As he tweeted this evening:
“So manny’s out. How bout we find out who the real number one contender is @ricardolamasmma”
Considering that Ricardo Lamas just fought two weeks ago — crushing Erik Koch at UFC on FOX 6 — we’d call that matchup a long-shot. Lamas is knocking on the door of featherweight title contendership, and probably wouldn’t want to risk his place in a line for a fight against one of the division’s beasts on two weeks’ notice. We’ll keep you posted if and when Mendes gets a new dance partner for the 2/23 card.
A pivotal featherweight tilt could be scrapped from UFC 157—a pay-per-view scheduled for later this month. According to a tweet from Sports Illustrated’s Melissa Segura, The Ultimate Fighter alumnus Manny Gamburyan broke his thumb and fractu…
A pivotal featherweight tilt could be scrapped from UFC 157—a pay-per-view scheduled for later this month.
According to a tweet from Sports Illustrated‘s Melissa Segura, The Ultimate Fighter alumnus Manny Gamburyan broke his thumb and fractured his elbow on Thursday and is out of his February 23 matchup with Chad Mendes:
Hearing Manny Gamburyan, scheduled to fight Chad Mendes at UFC157 broke his thumb yesterday and fractured his elbow. He’s apparently out.
Gamburyan has lost three of his past four bouts and was a big underdog heading into his bout with the Team Alpha Male standout. But he did win a convincing decision over MichihiroOmigawa in his latest bout at UFC on Fox 4 in August.
Mendes, a former All-American wrestler in college, has scored two straight first-round knockouts against over-matched opponents in the form of Cody McKenzie and YaotzinMeza. He boasts a 13-1 professional mixed martial arts record overall, with his sole loss coming in a title bout against divisional champ Jose Aldo at UFC 142 in January 2012.
Despite the setback, many analysts still consider Mendes, a 27-year-old California native, to be a top-five fighter at 145 pounds.
Considering that UFC 157 is just 15 days away, it would not be surprising to see Mendes pulled from the card altogether if Gamburyan can’t give it a go.
(Damn, Brittney, where’d you get those vintage Brawlin’ Buddies?)
It’s a good time to be Chad Mendes, Nation. Not only has he been all but cleared of the battery charges he was facing following a massive bar brawl in October, but the UFC apparently feels so bad for sacrificing his undefeated virginity to Jose Aldo at UFC 142 that they’ve thrown him three straight gimme fights against dudes who would be lucky to wash his jockstrap at Team Alpha Male.
First he got called out by Cody McKenzie, which somewhat justified their insane pairing at UFC 148 (which ended in just over 30 seconds, by the way). And last weekend, Mendes dispatched promotional newcomer Yaotzin Meza in just under two minutes at UFC on FX 6. That’s two fights at 36K a piece with a total fight time of under half a round. No wonder he calls himself “Money,” the dude’s somehow become the most efficient worker in the UFC. Think about that for a second, Potato Nation, then take a moment to wonder aloud why Mendes has been paired against TUF 5 runner-up Manny Gamburyan at UFC 157.
(Damn, Brittney, where’d you get those vintage Brawlin’ Buddies?)
It’s a good time to be Chad Mendes, Nation. Not only has he been all but cleared of the battery charges he was facing following a massive bar brawl in October, but the UFC apparently feels so bad for sacrificing his undefeated virginity to Jose Aldo at UFC 142 that they’ve thrown him three straight gimme fights against dudes who would be lucky to wash his jockstrap at Team Alpha Male.
First he got called out by Cody McKenzie, which somewhat justified their insane pairing at UFC 148 (which ended in just over 30 seconds, by the way). And last weekend, Mendes dispatched promotional newcomer Yaotzin Meza in just under two minutes at UFC on FX 6. That’s two fights at 36K a piece with a total fight time of under half a round. No wonder he calls himself “Money,” the dude’s somehow become the most efficient worker in the UFC. Think about that for a second, Potato Nation, then take a moment to wonder aloud why Mendes has been paired against TUF 5 runner-up Manny Gamburyan at UFC 157.
While both of these men have had the privilege of getting their asses handed to them on a silver platter by Jose Aldo, claiming that these two are within earshot of one another in the featherweight division is ludicrous. Gamburyan just broke a three fight losing streak with a decision win over Michihiro Omigawa — a fighter with a 1-6 octagon record who was released from the UFC immediately after the fight – at UFC on FOX 4. The only logic we can see behind this matchup is that the UFC must believe Mendes is destined for another title shot down the road and they might as well help him add another clip to his somewhat vacant highlight reel in the mean time. Otherwise, what in the hell are they doing booking a top 5 featherweight against these guys?
Also on tap for UFC 157 is a matchup between fellow featherweights Dennis Bermudez and Matt Grice. Bermudez has notched up two straight victories in the octagon since falling short of the TUF 14 featherweight plaque thanks to a last second Diego Brandao armbar. On the heels of a first round submission over Tommy Hayden at UFC 150, Bermudez should have little trouble dispatching Grice, who recently picked up just his second UFC win in six contests by decisioning the similarly struggling Leonard Garcia at UFC on FX 3 in June.
UFC 157 goes down from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on February 23rd.
Who do you like for these, Potato Nation? That was a rhetorical question.
