The UFC has re-scheduled the Featherweight title bout between Champion Jose Aldo and challenger Chad Mendes for the UFC 179 event to be held in Brazil in October. The match was originally scheduled for this weekend at UFC 176, a show that was subsequently cancelled because of a Jose Aldo injury.
Do not look for the odds to change much, as Aldo was favored at (-210) for the re-match before the cancellation. Mendes was returning (+160). The first meeting was a tension filled fight with high expectations for Mendes as a challenger, but it ended in a flash as the first round drew to a close. The odds were close and they have stayed close because there is the expectation that Mendes will be able to implement his game plan and create a fight that suits his style. When he is able to do that, Mendes has proven to be a force.
For Aldo, he is a champion who is looking like a potential all time great, but the injury that caused the cancellation opens up an old question about Aldo. He is still an extremely young champion at 27, but he has had fights cancelled and postponed on several occasions. At some point the wear and tear is going to begin to show on Aldo, and that is likely to happen at a younger age as the injuries accumulate. This time around, it was a back injury that caused the cancellation, and the announcement that the match has been re-scheduled for October means that Aldo may come in still carrying some baggage from the injury.
One other factor has changed, and that is the venue. Rather than fighting at the Staples Center in his home state, Mendes gets to travel to Brazil for the title shot. Now, Mendes is a well conditioned fighter both mentally and physically, so the challenge of travel and fighting on enemy territory should be something Mendes can stay strong against. Aldo will have to battle challenges of his own, as he has dispatched Mendes before, and fighting at home could lead to him to complacency.
Look for the rhetoric to ratchet up around fight time, as Mendes has put a lot of pressure on himself to win the title. Let’s just hope Aldo doesn’t break down again before October.
