When news broke of Jose Aldo’s suspected rib fracture two weeks ago, MMA fans and fighters alike ping-ponged between Chad Mendes and Frankie Edgar as the featherweight champion’s possible replacement. Edgar anxiously sat by the phone waiting for the call that never came and instead, Chad Mendes was granted with another shot at the 145 lbs. title.
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Many expected Edgar to be ushered in as Aldo’s replacement — including Conor McGregor — due his four-fight win streak and Mendes’ previous championship tilts with ‘Scarface’ at UFC 142 and more recently, UFC 179. In an effort to dispel any criticisms over Mendes’s third featherweight title shot, UFC president Dana White explained his reasoning for the decision to MMADigest:
“First of all, Mendes is the #1 ranked guy in the world,” Dana said. “He’s only ever lost to Jose Aldo in an absolute knockdown, drag ’em out, five round war and was one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen. And he’s just came off a devastating knockout of Lamas, and Frankie just went five rounds with Urijah Faber. So it makes absolutely no sense for Frankie to have this fight. Chad Mendes is the guy who deserves it and obviously you can tell by the success of the fight – people are pumped for this fight.”
Chad Mendes and Conor McGregor also have a rivalry dating back to October 2014, when the brash Irishman fired shots at ‘Money’ on UFC’s ‘Beyond the Octagon.’ McGregor vowed to ‘rest his balls’ on Mendes’ forehead and has frequently referred to the Californian as ‘Mini Mendes.’ The Team Alpha Male standout returned fire in a media conference call last week when he pledged to dominate ‘The Notorious’ on the ground.
McGregor and Mendes will battle for the interim featherweight championship this Saturday at UFC 189 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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