The first fight between José Aldo and Chad Mendes resulted in one of Aldo’s best highlights, as “The King of Rio” connected with a brilliant knee in the final second of the first round that knocked Mendes out, prompting him to run into the Brazilian crowd. It set the entire arena into a frenzy.
Aldo and Mendes rematched years later at UFC 179 and delivered one of the best featherweight title fights we’ve ever seen. It was competitive for 25 minutes, with both fighters having big moments, but even with the fight being close, Aldo shined bright. Aldo was only taken down by Mendes once and he landed 102 significant strikes in the fight (the second highest total in his career) en route to a unanimous decision win. The win marked Aldo’s seventh UFC featherweight title defense and was a trademark moment in his Hall of Fame career.
Maurício “Shogun” Rua vs Antōnio Rogério Nogueira
UFC 190: Rousey vs Correia – August 1, 2015