Chad Mendes: Underrated Fighter Showcase #3
Career performances of Chad “Money” Mendes.
Chad Mendes(May 1, 1985)is an former mixed martial artist, and collegiate wrestler Mendes gained notoriety competing in the featherweight division in WEC and UFC,where he was a 3 time title contender but ultimately couldn’t claim a title. I will be showcasing all of his WEC and UFC wins so let’s get to it.
Chad Mendes(5-0) vs “The Phoenix” Erik Koch(9-0)
WEC 47: Bowles vs Cruz
This was Mendes’ WEC Debut and took on the dangerous Koch earning a clear but competitive decision victory with him using his wrestling to win all 3 rounds.
Chad Mendes(6-0) vs Anthony “Cheesecake” Morrison(16-9)
WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber
wasted no time getting the fight down and runs through Morrison with ease snatching up an arm-in guillotine to force the tap in just over 2 minutes. His only submission victory in the WEC and UFC.
Chad Mendes(7-0) vs “Killer” Cub Swanson(14-3)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez
Mendes’ once again uses his wrestling but wasn’t out of his depth on the feet vs the very dangerous Swanson and gets another Unanimous Decision victory to make it 3 straight in the WEC.
Chad Mendes(8-0) vs Javier “Showtime” Vazquez(15-4)
WEC 52: Faber vs Mizugaki
Mendes once again uses his wrestling and dominates Javier on the ground, battering him in his guard to cruise to a solid 4-0 record in WEC and made the jump to the UFC after this fight.
Chad Mendes(9-0) vs Michihiro “Michi” Omigawa(11-8-1)
UFC 126: Silva vs Belfort
In Mendes’ UFC debut, he didn’t use as much of his grappling like in .his previous fights and tagged Omigawa a few times on the feet hurting him in the process to make it 5 straight wins with another unanimous decision.
Chad Mendes(10-0) vs Rani Yahya(16-6)
UFC 133: Evans vs Ortiz 2
Mendes didn’t use much of his wrestling this time around and kept this one of the feet against BJJ Ace Yahya, using striking to land his counter rights at will and used his takedowns when needed to get another clean decision.
Chad Mendes(11-1) vs Cody “AK Kid” McKenzie(11-2)
UFC 148: Silva vs Sonnen 2
After a tough first round loss to Jose Aldo, Mendes returns a man on a mission showing something that wasn’t present before, KO Power, as he folds Cody with 1 punch to the body in 31 seconds in the 1st.
Chad Mendes(12-1) vs Yaotzin Meza(20-8)
UFC on FOX 6: Sotiropoulos vs Pearson
Mendes once’s again comes in with no intent to go 15 minutes and absolutely nukes Meza with an overhand counter for throwing a lazy left hook. 2nd straight 1st round KO and even more brutal.
Chad Mendes(13-1) vs Darren “The Damage” Elkins(16-2)
UFC on FOX 7: Bendo vs Melendez
Mendes nukes another poor soul this time it was Elkins hurting him with an overhand off the blitz and puts Elkins down and out with one more right over the top. 3rd straight 1st round finish.
Chad Mendes(14-1) vs Clay “The Carpenter” Guida(30-13)
UFC 164: Bendo vs Pettis 2
Mendes showed great counter wrestling and striking, dominating Guida until he landed a nice counter that hurt Guida bad and showcased a very composed and cerebral finishing ability to get Guida out of there early in the 3rd. 4th straight KO victory.
Chad Mendes(15-1) vs Nik “The Carny” Lentz(24-5-2)
UFC on FOX 9: Johnson vs Benavidez 2
Despite a great start and hurting Lentz bad in the 1st, this would be Mendes’ hardest fight where he wasn’t able to get a finish but did enough in the 1st and 2nd to clearly win. Unreal toughness by Lentz as well and a absolute banger fight overall.
Chad Mendes(16-1) vs Jose Aldo Jr(24-1)
UFC 179: Aldo vs Mendes 2
I must show this fight because Mendes’ was the closest to dethrone Aldo at this point in what is still one of the best fight at the highest level. Despite coming up short this raised His stock tremendously.
Chad Mendes(16-2) vs “The Bully” Ricardo Lamas(15-3)
UFC Fight Night 63: Mendes vs Lamas
As perfect as a rebound fight can go especially against a top 5 opponent in Lamas. Mendes absolutely runs through Lamas after timing a right that scrambled Lamas’ brain ending it in the 1st
Chad Mendes(17-4) vs Myles “Fury” Jury(17-2)
UFC Fight Night 133: JDS vs Ivanov
After losing 2 straight to a Surging McGregor and Edgar, Mendes was also hit with a suspension. He returned vs Jury and gets back to his winning and finishing ways dispatching of Jury in the first.
Jury would be his last official win with the UFC as he took on a surging Volkanovski who was on a mission and came up short. He Retired from MMA after the loss. Chad Mendes transformed from a wrestler who would lay in guard and pound you to a decision to a complete MMA fighter with scary striking with a cerebral finishing ability when given the opportunity. His career is underrated and he will always be regarded as one of the best to never claim a title.
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