Chad Mendes put his body on the line when he faced Jose Aldo at UFC 179, with the American coming away from the contest with horrific side effects.
After losing their first contest via a devastating knee in the first round, Mendes came back with a vengeance in the rematch, giving the legend one of his most difficult fights.
Chad Mendes was left with awful side effects from his battle with Jose Aldo
When Chad Mendes was rendered unconscious by Jose Aldo back in 2012, he was left with a bitter taste in his mouth and an overwhelming desire to work his way back to a title shot.
Over the next two years, he fought tooth and nail, beating five top contenders, to earn himself another opportunity to throw down with the legendary featherweight.
In front of a partisan crowd at the Ginásio do Maracanãzinho in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ‘Money’ gave it everything he had, leaving it all in the octagon in his pursuit of UFC glory.
In the 2014 Fight of the Year, the pair of warriors traded brutal shots, leaving the crowd on their feet as an incredible spectacle played out in the cage.
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Alas, Aldo was too good once again, with the Brazilian retaining his title. However, in defeat, Mendes still emerged with a great deal of credit for the admirable heart he displayed.
However, walking through the fire comes with consequences, with the Californian having to deal with nasty physical side effects.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, he said: “Aldo is a beast. I still tell everybody to this day that was my toughest fight. Everyone always thinks it’s Conor McGregor, but it wasn’t.
“Aldo was next level. I think that took ten years off my life, I would say. That night, I got back to the hotel, I was p***ing blood. I’d never had that happen in any of my fights. I was pretty beat up after that fight.”
Chad Mendes gives his opinion on whether Jose Aldo could win another UFC world title
While in the twilight of his career at 37 years of age, Aldo’s desire to fight still burns bright.
With a tremendous victory in his homeland against Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in his last outing, it’s clear the gifted athlete still has what it takes to compete at the pinnacle of the sport.
And Mendes believes his old rival has the capabilities of winning gold again at bantamweight by defeating either Merab Dvalishvili in a rematch, or the reigning 135-pound champion, Sean O’Malley.
The former title contender claimed: “I think so. I would imagine he’s going to keep pouring his heart and soul into it. He doesn’t seem like the guy who half-a**es anything. So, I think so.”
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