![]() But if anyone forgot why Aldo is undefeated over the past nine years and has never lost in UFC or WEC competition, UFC 179 was the perfect reminder. Now that UFC 179 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s Three Stars ceremony and choose the top performers from Saturday's card. His striking and takedown defense was on point as, even in the moments in which he was in trouble, Aldo never let Mendes pull ahead, and he always made sure he came out on top in key moments.Ī few lackluster showings in recent years put a damper on Aldo’s standing as a pound-for-pound great. In a bout that may hold up as the “Fight of the Year” at year’s end, Aldo displayed the true extent of his talents en route to a unanimous decision victory. Some of the blame rests on his opponents for not pushing him to the limit, but Mendes gave Aldo everything he could handle and brought out the best in the champion. There was plenty of criticism directed at Aldo (25-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) prior to UFC 179, but in one performance, the Brazilian has flipped the script and earned praise for his incredible effort against Mendes.Īldo has appeared complacent and willing to take minimal risk in the majority of his recent fights. Regardless of what happens in Magny’s career going forward, he earned a place in history at UFC 179 and will always have a place in the UFC record books. Moreover, for a mid-tier competitor to earn five paydays in one year must provide a meaningful boost to his financial stability. In an age in which numerous fighters drop off cards due to injury, Magny has managed to reach the octagon five times this year without incident. Only one other fighter in UFC history has put together a year with similar success Roger Huerta went 5-0 in 2007.Įven though all of Magny’s wins have come against fighters floating near the bottom of the UFC welterweight division, it’s still remarkable to see an athlete with Magny’s consistency. Neil Magny (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) managed to pull off such a feat, though, and at UFC 179, he scored his fifth victory of 2014 with a third-round knockout of William Macario (7-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC). After his first MMA defeat in November 2005, Aldo remained undefeated for over a decade. ![]() Mendes is undoubtedly disappointed in the final result, but after participating in arguably the best fight of 2014 thus far, the 29-year-old also has a lot to be proud of.įive wins in a calendar year is a significant accomplishment at any level, but to do it in the UFC is extremely uncommon. He put forth an incredible effort, but with two losses to the champion, it’s going to be a long road to a third title shot as long as Aldo holds the belt. Unfortunately for Mendes, he’s now in a curious position in the featherweight division. Yael Grauer UFC 179 Medical Suspensions: Phil Davis, Scott Jorgensen Sidelined for 3 Months Winning light heavyweight Phil Davis and losing flyweight Scott Jorgensen received 180-day suspensions. “Money” pushed Jose Aldo unlike any other title challenger before him and had the longtime champion in danger several times throughout the five-round contest, which he lost by unanimous decision.Īfter he suffered a first-round knockout loss to Aldo in their first meeting in 2012, Mendes was determined to show how much he’s improved. Now that UFC 179 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.Ĭhad Mendes (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) ultimately failed in his bid to bring the UFC featherweight title back to his hometown of Sacramento, Calif., but he has nothing to be ashamed of in defeat. UFC 179 took place Saturday at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro, and of the 22 competitors to compete on the UFC’s 10th pay-per-view event of the year, three turned in performances that stood out from the rest. Stephens, 37, fought to a majority decision draw with former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo in his professional boxing debut this past April. There’s only a brief window of opportunity to make a lasting impression on fans, and some do it better than others. Mendes II Completed MMA Bout Jos Aldo vs. Since there last fight Aldo has not finished a man.The UFC is staging more than 40 events in 2014 with hundreds of fighters going in and out of the octagon. Jose Aldo, on the other hand, has fought three times, beating Frankie Edgar and Ricardo Lamas by decision and the Korean Zombie by Injury. Clay Guida was handed his first-ever KO loss by Mendes and Nik Lentz was ragdolled for three rounds by an ill Mendes! ![]() Three of those were first-round demolition jobs, Cody McKenzie, Yaotzin Meza, Darren Elkins all fell this way. Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports At times on Saturday night, it appeared Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes were paying homage to Brazil's old-school, no rules, vale tudo fighting tradition. In his 5 fights since the loss, he has 4 KO`s and one beatdown of Nik Lentz. ![]()
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