Chad Mendes (17-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) absolutely crushed Ricardo Lamas (15-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) with his devastating punching power in their featherweight main event. The two-time title challenger dropped the one-time title challenger with a right hand to the top of the head, which put Lamas on ice skates right away. Lamas, to his credit, was able to get back to his feet but only temporarily, as Mendes dropped him again with a left hook which sent him stumbling backwards and onto his backside.
Mendes swarmed for the early finish as Lamas was in pure survival mode, but Dan Miragliotta didn’t move in to stop it. The patient Mendes maintained dominant positions, punched repeatedly, and then when Lamas got back up one last time he fell backwards on his own and ate a huge left hand against the cage that really hurt him. Mendes even stopped punching as he wondered what it would take for Miragliotta to stop the fight, and evidently that last strike to a hurt and turtled Lamas was enough.
Official Result: Chad Mendes def. Ricardo Lamas via TKO (punches) at 2:45 of round 1
It’s the 5th (T)KO win for Mendes in his last 7 fights and his 4th inside the opening round. For Lamas, it’s his first stoppage loss in his career since a TKO defeat to Iuri Alcantara (now at bantamweight) in the WEC finale back in 2010.
Stay tuned for more post-event coverage from Bloody Elbow, including analysis, highlights, press conference notes, and post-fight bonuses.
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