In a move nobody could have possibly seen coming (nobody I tells ya!), Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes got a little physical at today’s UFC 179 media day. More specifically, Aldo shoved Mendes after the two exchanged some words (I can’t be certain, but I’m pretty sure Mendes told Aldo he was going to “f*ck him up”). To reiterate: There is absolutely *no way* this was staged or pre-rehearsed, so all you conspiracy theorists can just stuff it.
Seriously though, how hilarious would it be if the UFC regularly started staging confrontations to sell PPV’s? The Jones-Cormier scuffle earned them a spot on Sportscenter and easily a couple hundred (thousand) more PPV buys, so the potential is obviously there. Aldo’s hype and status as a PPV draw is ever-dwindling, so what better opportunity to play up the grudge angle? The format is simple: Have both guys talk some smack on Twitter, get in a controlled scuffle at media day, and I dunno, maybe have Mendes take a steel chair to Aldo’s back at the weigh-ins. I know what you’re thinking…
In a move nobody could have possibly seen coming (nobody I tells ya!), Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes got a little physical at today’s UFC 179 media day. More specifically, Aldo shoved Mendes after the two exchanged some words (I can’t be certain, but I’m pretty sure Mendes told Aldo he was going to “f*ck him up”). To reiterate: There is absolutely *no way* this was staged or pre-rehearsed, so all you conspiracy theorists can just stuff it.
Seriously though, how hilarious would it be if the UFC regularly started staging confrontations to sell PPV’s? The Jones-Cormier scuffle earned them a spot on Sportscenter and easily a couple hundred (thousand) more PPV buys, so the potential is obviously there. Aldo’s hype and status as a PPV draw is ever-dwindling, so what better opportunity to play up the grudge angle? The format is simple: Have both guys talk some smack on Twitter, get in a controlled scuffle at media day, and I dunno, maybe have Mendes take a steel chair to Aldo’s back at the weigh-ins. I know what you’re thinking…
Apparently, shoving your opponent during a staredown is the new trend among UFC fighters.
Less than one month after Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier’s infamous brawl at the UFC 178 media day in Las Vegas, UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo invaded Cha…
Apparently, shoving your opponent during a staredown is the new trend among UFC fighters.
Less than one month after Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier’s infamous brawl at the UFC 178 media day in Las Vegas, UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo invaded Chad Mendes‘ personal space with a forceful shove inside the Maracana Stadium in Rio deJaneiro ahead of their UFC 179 rematch.
While Aldo knocked out Mendes with a brutal knee during their first matchup at UFC 142, this rematch contains plenty of intrigue, shoving matches or not. Almost three years have passed since the first scrap, and Mendes has looked better than ever during that stretch, posting a remarkable 5-0 record with four stoppages.
On top of that, Mendes‘ teammate, T.J. Dillashaw, recently obliterated Aldo’s teammate and former bantamweight champion RenanBarao via TKO at UFC 173 to steal the 135-pound strap. Prior to that fight, Barao had looked untouchable, and Dillashaw dismantled him in every way.
While Aldo has looked incredibly dominant throughout his six-fight run with the UFC, his performances have been slowly declining. He’s still unquestionably the best featherweight on earth, but during the same stretch of time, Mendes went 5-0 with four finishes while Aldo went 3-0 with just one finish. Even in that lone victory inside the distance—a fourth-round TKO of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung—Aldo looked less dominant than usual, finishing the job only after Jung suffered a serious shoulder injury and was forced to fight with only one effective arm.
Add in the slowly building rivalry between Team Alpha Male (home to Mendes and Dillashaw) and Nova Uniao (home to Aldo and Barao) as well as this latest scuffle between Aldo and Mendes at the UFC 179 media day, and the upcoming rematch on Oct. 25 is suddenly a can’t-miss event.
What do you make of the shove? Is Mendes in Aldo’s head, or is Aldo simply hyping the fight to sell some more tickets for his boss?
So, you’re on a six-fight winning streak in one of the toughest divisions the UFC has to offer. You’ve defeated the division’s fifth-, 10th-, 11th- and 14th-ranked fighters in the process. You even managed to KO the No. 14 fighter in the division above…
So, you’re on a six-fight winning streak in one of the toughest divisions the UFC has to offer. You’ve defeated the division’s fifth-, 10th-, 11th- and 14th-ranked fighters in the process. You even managed to KO the No. 14 fighter in the division above you. That should be enough to grant you a shot at the title, right?
Well, kind of.
Cub Swanson, the UFC’s second-ranked featherweight—behind only Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes—is just a little more than a month removed from a five-round unanimous decision win against Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 44. Though his performance would warrant a title shot, the current featherweight landscape complicates things a bit.
“I’m not really one to cry about things, I’m just excited to be in the position I’m in,” Swanson said after his victory at the UFC Fight Night 44 post-fight press conference. “I’ve worked real hard, so, I mean, there was another fight that was a good opportunity for me, then I would take it. I’m not really trying to wait forever.”
That’s just it; after waiting 357 days in between his last two fights, there’s no way the UFC can allow, or force, Swanson to wait an extended period of time as he prepares for his title shot. Understandably, Swanson wanted the title shot and the UFC was willing to comply, according to Dana White, per UFC’s “The Download“:
Let me tell you what, Jeremy is ranked No. 10 but he’s not the No. 10 fighter. He’s better than that, and Cub took big f****** shots from him early, ate his shots and came back and fought a beautiful fight. I’m very excited for his future. Cub’s going to get what he wants, let’s just put it that way.
But after Aldo pulled out of his original fight against Mendes in August, things got a little more complicated for Swanson and the UFC brass. Considering Aldo and Mendes aren’t scheduled to fight for the crown until late October at UFC 179, Swanson wouldn’t be getting a crack at the belt until February at the earliest.
And that’s if everything goes as planned.
But with more people favoring Mendes as the rematch nears, it’s not completely implausible to see the Team Alpha Male fighter snatch the strap away from the incumbent champion and force a rubber match between the new-found rivals. The rematch would likely take place in February or March, meaning any title bouts exclusively consisting of Aldo and Mendes could only take place around June or July—tacking on another 350-day layoff for the established contender.
Edgar is facing almost identical circumstances. He’s ranked highly amongst the UFC’s featherweights. He’s deserving of a title shot. He spent 365 days in between his last two fights against Charles Oliveira and B.J. Penn.
It wouldn’t be fair to force Swanson to square off against the former UFC lightweight champion, but it makes sense. Fighting each other would clear up some space atop of the ever-crowded featherweight pack and design a clear-cut contender for a spot atop the featherweight mountain.
The long wait isn’t the only variable that should be concerning Swanson right now, though—the UFC has some other favorable rising featherweights waiting for their chance at UFC gold.
Conor McGregor, the UFC’s ninth-ranked featherweight and arguably its most popular star, could be in line to justify a title shot of his own with a win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 178 in September. A victory against the No. 5 featherweight would likely catapult the Irish sensation into the top five. A microphone would likely catapult him into a title fight.
And if there’s anything we can take away from Alexander Gustafsson’s current misfortune, it’s that the UFC can snatch away a title shot just about as fast as it can grant it. Because for as much as it wants to put on bouts between two viable opponents, it would much rather put on fights between two viable opponents who can make headlines.
Kristian Ibarra is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. He also serves as the sports editor at San Diego State University’s student-run newspaper, The Daily Aztec. Follow him on Twitter at @Kristian_Ibarra for all things MMA.
A clash between Top 10 light heavyweights Glover Teixeira and Phil Davis appears to be on its way to the UFC 179 main card.
Per Combate (h/t MMAJunkie.com), No. 4 Teixeira and No. 6 Davis have verbally agreed to a matchup. It is expected…
A clash between Top 10 light heavyweights Glover Teixeira and Phil Davis appears to be on its way to the UFC 179 main card.
Per Combate (h/t MMAJunkie.com), No. 4 Teixeira and No. 6 Davis have verbally agreed to a matchup. It is expected that the bout will be added to the October 25 event in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil.
With a featherweight championship fight between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes being the only currently confirmed contest on the card, it would appear that Teixeira and Davis might be candidates for the co-main event slot. If not, they would surely find themselves somewhere on the pay-per-view.
Teixeira last appeared at UFC 172, going the distance with 205-pound champion Jon Jones but coming up way short on the scorecards. Having lost only to Jones since joining the UFC roster, Teixeira remains one of the top fighters in the light heavyweight division. A win over Davis would help the Brazilian regain the momentum he lost with his defeat against Jones.
With a three-fight winning streak, including a victory over former champion LyotoMachida, Davis was recently closing in on a title shot of his own. However, in his most recent outing, Mr. Wonderful was shut down by UFC returnee Anthony Johnson.
Losing to Rumble, a former welterweight, was a significant setback for Davis. However, the former NCAA wrestling champion could work his way into the Top Five with a strong showing against Teixeira.
Opposite Teixeira, Davis will likely look to utilize that wrestling background. The Brazilian has some of the heaviest hands in the light heavyweight division. So, although Davis has never been knocked out, he’s not going to want to have his chin tested in this matchup.
While he’s probably going to plan on attempting to remain standing, Teixeira is no slouch on the ground. He has a black belt in jiu-jitsu and has already recorded two submission wins inside the Octagon. That said, Davis has also never been submitted.
Can Davis avoid Teixeira’s power and shut things down on the canvas, or will the Brazilian thrive in his home country? This is an intriguing matchup that could play out in many different ways.
No matter which fighter comes out with his hand raised, this matchup could shake up the light heavyweight division’s Top Five rankings.
(“Damn it, Chad. I told you the dress code was business casual.” / Photo via Getty)
Nearly three years after their first meeting, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and top contender Chad Mendes will get another chance to settle the age-old debate: “Who’s the real pussy?” UFC president Dana White confirmed Saturday night that their “postponed” featherweight title fight has been re-scheduled to headline UFC 179, October 25th in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
If you’ll recall, Aldo and Mendes were set for a rematch at UFC 176 in Los Angeles this coming weekend, but Aldo suffered a cervical spine injury in training, which led to the euthanization of that event. Now, Mendes has to face Aldo in Rio again — the same town where Aldo KO’d him in front of a very supportive crowd at UFC 142 back in January 2012. Kind of a bummer for Mendes.
No other fights for UFC 179 have been confirmed yet. The pay-per-view event will be held at the 12,000+ capacity Ginásio do Maracanãzinho, not the larger HSBC Arena, where the UFC’s four previous Rio PPVs were held. It’s unclear whether the Kings of Leon had anything to do with the venue change, although it should be mentioned that Aldo vs. Mendes 1 reportedly had the smallest paid attendance for an HSBC show (10,605).
We’ll keep you posted as the card fills up.
(“Damn it, Chad. I told you the dress code was business casual.” / Photo via Getty)
Nearly three years after their first meeting, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and top contender Chad Mendes will get another chance to settle the age-old debate: “Who’s the real pussy?” UFC president Dana White confirmed Saturday night that their “postponed” featherweight title fight has been re-scheduled to headline UFC 179, October 25th in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
If you’ll recall, Aldo and Mendes were set for a rematch at UFC 176 in Los Angeles this coming weekend, but Aldo suffered a cervical spine injury in training, which led to the euthanization of that event. Now, Mendes has to face Aldo in Rio again — the same town where Aldo KO’d him in front of a very supportive crowd at UFC 142 back in January 2012. Kind of a bummer for Mendes.
No other fights for UFC 179 have been confirmed yet. The pay-per-view event will be held at the 12,000+ capacity Ginásio do Maracanãzinho, not the larger HSBC Arena, where the UFC’s four previous Rio PPVs were held. It’s unclear whether the Kings of Leon had anything to do with the venue change, although it should be mentioned that Aldo vs. Mendes 1 reportedly had the smallest paid attendance for an HSBC show (10,605).
Chad Mendes hopes the second time will be the charm when he travels to enemy territory once again to take on UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo.
UFC President Dana White spilled the beans on the featherweight title scrap on Saturday night during the UFC…
Chad Mendes hopes the second time will be the charm when he travels to enemy territory once again to take on UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo.
UFC President Dana White spilled the beans on the featherweight title scrap on Saturday night during the UFC on Fox 12 post-fight press conference. The rematch between Aldo and Mendes will now take place at UFC 179 on October 25 in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil.
“[Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes] is the fight [to headline the Brazil card],” White confirmed. “I’m probably going to get murdered for this. Brazil is going to call up screaming and yelling at me that I blew their big whatever. So there you go. I gave you something tonight before I left.”
Aldo and Mendes were originally slated to headline the UFC 176 pay-per-view card on August 2, but the bout was postponed after Aldo withdrew due to a neck injury. Subsequently, the entire fight card was scrapped after losing the main event bout.
Not only will this be a rematch, but it will also mark the second time Mendes has fought Aldo in Brazil. The reigning UFC champ landed a highlight-reel, first-round knockout over Mendes back in January 2012, becoming the first and only man to hand the Team Alpha Male standout a loss.
Since teaming up with muaythai coach Duane Ludwig, the improvements in Mendes’ striking have been like the difference between day and night. He is currently riding a five-fight win streak, with four of those victories coming by knockout.
Meanwhile, Aldo has continued to cement his legacy as an all-time great and one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Since defeating Mendes, he has gone on to successfully defend his title against Frankie Edgar, Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas.
The ever-growing beef between Aldo and Mendes should make for a good storyline heading into the event.
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Mendes hinted at the idea that Aldo was trying to avoid a fight with him. Aldo quickly responded in an open letter to Brazilian outlet Combate.com (h/t MMAjunkie) by accusing Mendes of being a possible “supplement” abuser.
If all goes according to plan, the talking will finally cease on October 25 when the cage door closes and the top two featherweights in the world battle once more.
JordyMcElroy is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.
Apparently, shoving your opponent during a staredown is the new trend among UFC fighters. 
