Former three-time Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes claims his “itch” to fight again is “getting stronger, and stronger.”
A Chad Mendes return on the horizon?
In a recent post on his personal Instagram page, the retired UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting veteran showcased some recent boxing training with Team Alpha Male striking coach Joey Rodriguez. Claiming his striking skills are rounding into shape, and it may be time to start talking about possible contract terms for a return bout.
“The timing, power, footwork and speed have been coming together the last few weeks! Been loving the [Mike Tyson] and [Canelo Alvarez] style of boxing baby! The itch is getting stronger and stronger,” Mendes wrote [h/t MMAJunkie]. “Might have to start talking some numbers soon.”
The 36-year-old has not fought since December 2018. On that night, he was taken out in the second round by Alexander Volkanovski. In what was a pivotal win in the Aussie’s career. Helping to catapult him into a follow-up fight with division legend Jose Aldo, and eventually on to beating Max Holloway and the start of his current reign as UFC featherweight champion.
“Money” split his last two bouts in the Octagon after losing two years of his career following a positive test for the growth hormone GHRP-6 in 2016. Before losing important years of his athletic prime, the Team Alpha Male product was a standout in the 145-pound division for the first half of the 2010s. In that time, he earned two opportunities against Aldo during his historic reign as champion, and a third shot by way of a short-notice interim title fight booking against Conor McGregor, at UFC 189. After a rib fracture forced the Brazilian out of a highly anticipated title clash with “Notorious.”
In the back end of his 30’s and with 23 bouts under his belt, there is a question of how much Mendes has left in the tank. Plus, a return to competition doesn’t necessarily mean a comeback to mixed martial arts. Over the last few years, we have seen a cornucopia of aged MMA talents take their talents to gloved and bare-knuckle boxing. Including former major titleholders in Anderson Silva, Ben Askren, Hector Lombard, and next month Tyron Woodley.
Wherever he goes, Mendes has enough name value to surely earn interest from various suitors around the combat sports world.
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