Chad Mendes won’t be waiting for Jose Aldo. Instead, he will take a fight and remain on the UFC 133 card in Philadelphia.Mendes will now face Rani Yahya at UFC 133, according to MMA Junkie.The UFC 133 card took another hit when it was announced that Al…
Chad Mendes won’t be waiting for Jose Aldo. Instead, he will take a fight and remain on the UFC 133 card in Philadelphia.
The UFC 133 card took another hit when it was announced that Aldo would not be able to defend his title against the top contender, Mendes. That is the second championship bout that could have happened in the UFC’s second trip to Philadelphia.
The other championship bout was rumored to be Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans for the light heavyweight title before Jones put off the fight for surgery. Jones opted not to go through with the surgery.
Mendes made his UFC debut earlier this year in February with a unanimous decision victory over Michihiro Omigawa at UFC 126. Mendes is currently undefeated with a 10-0 mark.
Yahya last fought January when he won by unanimous decision over former WEC featherweight champion, Mike Brown.
It is yet to be seen if Mendes vs. Yahya will be a main-card fight.
UFC 133 also contains a light heavyweight showdown between Evans and Phil Davis. It also has a middleweight bout between Yoshihiro “Sexyama” Akiyama and Vitor Belfort.
(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.'”)
The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.’”)
The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to Aldo, contrary to a Heavy.com report, he did not injure himself since his fight with Mark Hominick in April, but he is dealing with lingering nagging injuries that are going to take some time and rest to heal. As such, he was instructed by his doctor to take the time to heal up and take care of his afflictions before stepping back into the Octagon in the Fall.
News of the Mendes-Yahya pairing was first reported by MMAJunkie.com.
The fight could prove a huge opportunity for Yahya, an accomplished grappler who holds wins over Hominick and former WEC featherweight champions Mike Brown and Eddie Wineland. With guys like Josh Grispi and Dustin Poirier already booked for fights, Yahya was the next man down on the list who wasn’t already spoken for.
Mark Hominick was another fighter who was being considered, but considering he is still under a medical suspension in Canada from his UFC 129 war with Aldo and the fact that he and his wife had their first baby two weeks ago, he’s likely taking a much deserved vacation.
(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.'”)
The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(“Get a load of this guy. He calls himself ‘Money.’”)
The UFC moved swiftly to find a replacement opponent for number one UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes when 145-pound champ Jose Aldo bowed out of a planned late summer match-up with the 26-year-old Hanford, California native earlier in the week. According to MMAJunkie, the promotion has inked Rani Yahya to face Mendes at UFC 133 August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to Aldo, contrary to a Heavy.com report, he did not injure himself since his fight with Mark Hominick in April, but he is dealing with lingering nagging injuries that are going to take some time and rest to heal. As such, he was instructed by his doctor to take the time to heal up and take care of his afflictions before stepping back into the Octagon in the Fall.
News of the Mendes-Yahya pairing was first reported by MMAJunkie.com.
The fight could prove a huge opportunity for Yahya, an accomplished grappler who holds wins over Hominick and former WEC featherweight champions Mike Brown and Eddie Wineland. With guys like Josh Grispi and Dustin Poirier already booked for fights, Yahya was the next man down on the list who wasn’t already spoken for.
Mark Hominick was another fighter who was being considered, but considering he is still under a medical suspension in Canada from his UFC 129 war with Aldo and the fact that he and his wife had their first baby two weeks ago, he’s likely taking a much deserved vacation.
According to Jose Aldo’s manager, Ed Soares, the UFC featherweight champion is not injured but it isn’t likely he’ll be prepared in time to fight Chad Mendes at UFC 133.The news became apparent after Soares revealed to MMAJunkie.com about Aldo’s absenc…
According to Jose Aldo‘s manager, Ed Soares, the UFC featherweight champion is not injured but it isn’t likely he’ll be prepared in time to fight Chad Mendes at UFC 133.
The news became apparent after Soares revealed to MMAJunkie.com about Aldo’s absence.
“Jose is just resting right now and rehabbing a few small lingering injuries,” Soares told MMAJunkie.com
Soares said Aldo is still under medical suspension until next week and cannot resume training until then. for now, Aldo is focusing on his health and intends to be 100 percent healthy once his suspension is lifted.
Following his title bout against Mark Hominick at UFC 129, rumours were swirling as to who Aldo’s next challenger would be, and all signs pointed to a bout with Chad Mendes at UFC 133 in August. However, Soares said that the featherweight champion would hope for some additional time off to rest and recuperate, citing the date as too soon, which would only allow Aldo to train 10 weeks instead of 12.
“Whether it’s Chad Mendes or any other top contender, Jose is competing against the very best opponents in the world, and he wants ample time to prepare,” Soares said.
“When you’re the champion, everyone is gunning for you, and it’s important to be 100 percent.”
Soares said he clarified that Aldo did not turn down the bout, but he rather prefer to fight Mendes later this year. He expects to return in September to defend his featherweight crown.
As for his opponent, Mendes, he does not intend to wait for Aldo to heal.
Mendes’ manger, Mike Roberts, said he expects Mendes to still compete on the main card at UFC 133, whether it is against Aldo or not.
“We’re not going to wait for Jose Aldo. Chad wants to fight. If Aldo can’t fight, Chad will move on and fight somebody else,” Roberts said to MMAJunkie.com.
And if isn’t against Aldo, Roberts said he hopes it is still a competitive opponent for his client and a tough competitor in the UFC featherweight division.
Filed under: UFC, NewsPreferring to stay active over waiting for a title shot, Chad Mendes will take on Rani Yahya at UFC 133 on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia.
UFC president Dana White said Tuesday via the company’s website that the fight was made due to the…
Preferring to stay active over waiting for a title shot, Chad Mendes will take on Rani Yahya at UFC 133 on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia.
UFC president Dana White said Tuesday via the company’s website that the fight was made due to the uncertainty of featherweight champion Jose Aldo’s return date.
The UFC was targeting Aldo to defend his belt against Mendes at UFC 133, but Aldo said late Monday he needed more time to heal from his last fight and not rush into another fight without adequate preparation time. His medical suspension off his UFC 129 win was also a factor cutting into his training time.
Aldo on Twitter said he wasn’t injured and will be ready to fight in September or October.
The 26-year-old Mendes (10-0) fights out of Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male and won four WEC fights before transferring over to the UFC. In February, Mendes made his UFC debut by beating Michihiro Omigawa by unanimous decision.
Yahya (16-6) is known mostly for his grappling prowess, medaling in his division at ADCC 2005 and 2007. While with the WEC, he’s been hit-or-miss, compiling a 4-3 record and falling short in his one bantamweight championship fight. Yahya moved back up to featherweight for his UFC debut in January and picked up the decision win over former WEC champ Mike Brown.
UFC 133, marking the return of the UFC to Philadelphia after a two-year break, will be headlined by Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis in a light heavyweight showdown with title shot implications.
Due to his recent success Vitor Belfort has his coach, Jayme Sandall, to credit.In preparation for Vitor Belfort’s bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama UFC 133, Sandall has been helping the former UFC light heavyweight champion perfect a game plan for his oppon…
Due to his recent success Vitor Belfort has his coach, Jayme Sandall, to credit.
In preparation for Vitor Belfort’s bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama UFC 133, Sandall has been helping the former UFC light heavyweight champion perfect a game plan for his opponent.
A Brazilian karate champion, Sandall has helped Belfort implement karate into his arsenal since returning to the organization three years ago. Sandall said he is confident that his teachings of karate will help Belfort pick up a victory.
“He’s a tough opponent, but they all are,” Sandall told TATAME on Belfort’s opponent, Akiyama.
“But I honestly can’t Picture Vitor losing this fight. In all ways I can picture it, I don’t see any way that Vitor would lose this one. It’s really unlikely.”
Belfort suffered his first knockout loss to UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, at UFC 127. Silva ended the bout with a highlight reel front kick that instantly dropped the Brazilian. Sandall said he helped Belfort train and prepare for a variety of kicks Silva utilizes, but he said the front kick was unexpected.
Sandall also commented on Silva’s teammate, Lyoto Machida, who landed a similar kick that knocked out his opponent, Randy Couture, at UFC 129. Sandall praised the technique Machida used and said it’s a common technique used in karate.
“I used to give the guys that kick a lot, a frontal flying kick,” he said. “You give one extra step to bring your leg and kick harder. I use to knock people down with kicks on their stomach. I actually got a few knockdowns with a kick on my stomach, but not on the face.
However while it has proven to be effective for both Silva and Machida, Sandall said to not believe the mystique surrounding their friend, actor and martial artist, Steven Seagal.
“I was surprised, and even Lyoto said all that Steven Seagal stuff, but people have to know that it’s all propaganda, because it was not Steven Seagal the one who taught him that kick, he knows it from Karate,” he said.
“I talked to Lyoto’s father the day after the fight and he told me: ‘I told Lyoto to train a lot’.”
In spite of Seagal’s alleged teachings, Sandall said the use of karate has helped mixed martial arts grow as a sport and vice versa.
“It was up and rise from it’s beginning. It was good for me, all of it is good to me, and to Karate too. I’m having the chance to introduce people to Karate, I had the chance to explain a little bit about its rules,” he said.
Chad Mendes won’t be waiting for Jose Aldo. Instead, he will take a fight and remain on the UFC 133 card in Philadelphia.
Preferring to stay active over waiting for a title shot,