Chad Mendes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chad Mendes |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chad Mendes in 2011
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Chad Eduardo Mendes May 1, 1985 Hanford, California, U.S. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Money | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | Featherweight | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 66 in (168 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Style | Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fighting out of | Sacramento, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Team Alpha Male | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrestling | NCAA Division I Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2005–2008 (Collegiate wrestling) 2008–2018 (MMA) 2022–present (bare-knuckle boxing) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By submission | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | California Polytechnic State University | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable school(s) | Hanford High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Chad Eduardo Mendes (born May 1, 1985) is an American athlete who has competed in bare-knuckle boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA), and college wrestling. He is known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a top fighter in the featherweight division.
Before his professional fighting career, Chad was a successful college wrestler. He earned honors as an NCAA Division I All-American twice and won a Pac-10 Conference championship.
Contents
Wrestling Career Highlights
Chad Mendes wrestled for Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California. He had a great college wrestling record of 64 wins and 14 losses.
College Achievements
Chad earned the title of NCAA All-American twice. First, as a sophomore at 125 pounds, and then as a senior at 141 pounds. In his senior year, he had an impressive record of 30 wins and only 1 loss. He finished second in the 2008 NCAA championships at 141 pounds. That same year, he was named Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year.
Mixed Martial Arts Journey
After finishing his college wrestling career, Chad Mendes started training in mixed martial arts (MMA). He joined Team Alpha Male, a well-known training group.
Starting His MMA Path
Chad began his MMA career fighting for the Palace Fighting Championship. He had a perfect record there, winning all his fights.
Fighting in WEC
Chad made his debut in WEC on March 6, 2010, against Erik Koch. He won this fight by a unanimous decision, meaning all the judges agreed he won.
He then faced Anthony Morrison on April 24, 2010, and won by submission in the first round. Chad continued his winning streak in WEC, defeating Cub Swanson and Javier Vazquez by unanimous decision. In his fight against Vazquez, he showed off his improved striking skills along with his strong wrestling.
Joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship
In October 2010, the WEC organization merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). This meant all WEC fighters, including Chad, moved to the UFC.
First UFC Fights
Chad Mendes had his first UFC fight on February 5, 2011, at UFC 126 against Michihiro Omigawa. He won this fight by unanimous decision.
He was then scheduled to fight for the UFC Featherweight Championship against José Aldo. However, Aldo was injured, so Chad fought Rani Yahya instead at UFC 133. Chad won that fight by unanimous decision too.
Championship Challenges
Chad Mendes finally faced UFC Featherweight Champion José Aldo on January 14, 2012, at UFC 142. Chad lost this fight by knockout in the first round, which was his first professional loss.
After this, Chad went on a winning streak. He defeated Cody McKenzie by TKO at UFC 148. He also beat Yaotzin Meza by knockout in the first round at UFC on FX 6.
More Victories
Chad was set to fight Clay Guida at UFC on Fox 7, but Guida got injured. Chad then fought Darren Elkins and won by TKO in the first round.
The rescheduled fight with Clay Guida happened on August 31, 2013, at UFC 164. Chad won by TKO in the third round, becoming the first person to finish Guida with strikes. This win also earned him a Knockout of the Night bonus award.
He continued his success by defeating Nik Lentz by unanimous decision at UFC on Fox 9.
Rematch with José Aldo
Chad had a highly anticipated rematch with José Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship on October 25, 2014, at UFC 179. Chad became the first fighter to knock down Aldo in the first round. It was a very close and exciting fight, but Chad ultimately lost by unanimous decision. Despite the loss, the fight was so good that it earned both fighters the Fight of the Night bonus award. This fight was also named the "Fight of the Year" by several sports organizations.
Later UFC Fights
Chad faced Ricardo Lamas on April 4, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 63. Chad won this fight by TKO in the first round, earning a Performance of the Night bonus.
He then stepped in on short notice to fight Conor McGregor for an interim championship at UFC 189 on July 11, 2015. Chad lost this fight by TKO in the second round.
His next fight was against Frankie Edgar on December 11, 2015, at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale. Chad lost this fight by knockout in the first round.
After some time away from the sport, Chad returned on July 14, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 133 and defeated Myles Jury by TKO in the first round. This win earned him another Performance of the Night award.
Chad's last UFC fight was against Alexander Volkanovski on December 29, 2018, at UFC 232. He lost by TKO in the second round. This fight also earned both fighters Fight of the Night honors. After this fight, Chad announced his retirement from MMA.
Global Fight League
Chad was briefly scheduled to come out of retirement for a fight in the Global Fight League in 2025, but all events for that league were cancelled.
Bare-Knuckle Boxing Career
In August 2021, Chad Mendes announced he would be competing in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). He was given special permission by the UFC to compete in this new sport.
He made his bare-knuckle debut on February 19, 2022, at KnuckleMania 2. He won his first fight by technical knockout against Joshuah Alvarez.
On April 29, 2023, Chad faced Eddie Alvarez at BKFC 41. He lost this fight by a split decision, meaning the judges were divided on who won. This fight was also named the "Fight of the Night" and "Fight of the Year" for BKFC. After this bout, Chad announced his retirement from all combat sports.
Submission Grappling
Chad Mendes also competed in submission grappling, which is a form of wrestling where fighters try to make their opponent give up using holds and chokes.
On January 30, 2017, he competed in Submission Underground 3. He defeated Jeff Glover, a world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, in overtime.
He also had a grappling match at ADXC 5 on August 3, 2024, where he won by decision against Diego Brandão.
Personal Life
Chad Mendes has a diverse background, with family roots from Portugal, Italy, Puerto Rico, Ireland, and Native American heritage.
He is married to Abby, and they have a daughter who was born in 2019.
Chad also started a business called Finz and Featherz, which offers hunting and fishing guide services.
Championships and Awards
Mixed Martial Arts Awards
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Knockout of the Night (One time)
- Fight of the Night (Two times)
- Performance of the Night (Two times)
- Tied for third most knockouts in UFC Featherweight division history (6)
- UFC.com Awards
-
- 2011: Ranked #9 Import of the Year
- 2014: Ranked #2 Fight of the Year (vs. José Aldo 2)
-
- World MMA Awards
- 2014 Fight of the Year (vs. José Aldo at UFC 179)
- ESPN
- 2014 Fight of the Year (vs. José Aldo at UFC 179)
- BloodyElbow.com
- 2014 Fight of the Year (vs. José Aldo at UFC 179)
- MMAJunkie.com
- 2014 Fight of the Year (vs. José Aldo at UFC 179)
- 2014 October Fight of the Month (vs. José Aldo)
College Wrestling Awards
- National Collegiate Athletic Association
- NCAA Division I All-American (2006, 2008)
- Pac-10 Conference Championship (2008)
- Pac-10 Conference Wrestler of the Year (2008)
- NCAA Division I 125 lb: 6th place (2006)
- NCAA Division I 141 lb: Runner-up (2008)
Bare-Knuckle Boxing Awards
- Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- Fight of the Night (One time)
- Fight of the Year (2023)
Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 23 matches | 18 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 8 | 4 |
| By submission | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 8 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 18–5 | Alexander Volkanovski | TKO (punches) | UFC 232 | December 29, 2018 | 2 | 4:14 | Inglewood, California, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 18–4 | Myles Jury | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Ivanov | July 14, 2018 | 1 | 2:51 | Boise, Idaho, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 17–4 | Frankie Edgar | KO (punch) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Finale | December 11, 2015 | 1 | 2:28 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 17–3 | Conor McGregor | TKO (punches) | UFC 189 | July 11, 2015 | 2 | 4:57 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | For the interim UFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 17–2 | Ricardo Lamas | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Mendes vs. Lamas | April 4, 2015 | 1 | 2:45 | Fairfax, Virginia, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 16–2 | José Aldo | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 179 | October 25, 2014 | 5 | 5:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | For the UFC Featherweight Championship. Fight of the Night. Fight of the Year (2014). |
| Win | 16–1 | Nik Lentz | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Benavidez 2 | December 14, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Sacramento, California, United States | |
| Win | 15–1 | Clay Guida | TKO (punches) | UFC 164 | August 31, 2013 | 3 | 0:30 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 14–1 | Darren Elkins | KO (punches) | UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Melendez | April 20, 2013 | 1 | 1:08 | San Jose, California, United States | |
| Win | 13–1 | Yaotzin Meza | KO (punches) | UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson | December 15, 2012 | 1 | 1:55 | Gold Coast, Australia | |
| Win | 12–1 | Cody McKenzie | KO (punch to the body) | UFC 148 | July 7, 2012 | 1 | 0:31 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 11–1 | José Aldo | KO (knee) | UFC 142 | January 14, 2012 | 1 | 4:59 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | For the UFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 11–0 | Rani Yahya | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 133 | August 6, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Win | 10–0 | Michihiro Omigawa | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 126 | February 5, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 9–0 | Javier Vazquez | Decision (unanimous) | WEC 52 | November 11, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–0 | Cub Swanson | Decision (unanimous) | WEC 50 | August 18, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Anthony Morrison | Submission (guillotine choke) | WEC 48 | April 24, 2010 | 1 | 2:13 | Sacramento, California, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Erik Koch | Decision (unanimous) | WEC 47 | March 6, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Columbus, Ohio, United States | |
| Win | 5–0 | Mike Joy | Decision (unanimous) | Tachi Palace Fights 1 | October 8, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | Steven Siler | KO (punches) | TPF: Best of Both Worlds | July 16, 2009 | 1 | 0:44 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Art Arciniega | Decision (unanimous) | PFC: Best of Both Worlds 2 | April 23, 2009 | 3 | 3:00 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Leland Gridley | TKO (punches) | PFC: Best of Both Worlds | February 6, 2009 | 2 | 1:58 | Lemoore, California, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Giovanni Encarnacion | Submission (rear-naked choke) | PFC 10: Explosive | September 26, 2008 | 1 | 2:06 | Lemoore, California, United States |
Pay-Per-View Events
Chad Mendes was part of several big pay-per-view events during his UFC career. These events are where fans pay to watch the fights.
| No. | Event | Fight | Date | Venue | City | PPV Buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | UFC 142 | Aldo vs. Mendes | January 14, 2012 | Jeunesse Arena | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 235,000 |
| 2. | UFC 179 | Aldo vs. Mendes 2 | October 25, 2014 | Ginásio do Maracanãzinho | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 180,000 |
| 3. | UFC 189 | Mendes vs. McGregor | July 11, 2015 | MGM Grand Garden Arena | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | 825,000 |
Bare Knuckle Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 2 matches | 1 win | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1–1 | Eddie Alvarez | Decision (split) | BKFC 41 | April 29, 2023 | 5 | 2:00 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Welterweight (165lb) bout. Fight of the Night. Fight of the Year. |
| Win | 1–0 | Joshuah Alvarez | TKO (punches) | BKFC: KnuckleMania 2 | February 19, 2022 | 4 | 1:34 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Lightweight debut. |
NCAA Wrestling Record
| NCAA Championships Matches | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | ||
2008 NCAA Championships  at 141 lbs |
|||||||
| Loss | 10-5 | J Jaggers | 2-5 | March 22, 2008 | 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships | ||
| Win | 10-4 | Nathan Morgan | 1-0 | ||||
| Win | 9-4 | Nick Gallick | 5-0 | ||||
| Win | 8-4 | Ryan Williams | 7-4 | ||||
| Win | 7-4 | Steve Adamcsik | Fall | ||||
| 2006 NCAA Championships 6th at 125 lbs | |||||||
| Loss | 6-4 | Sam Hazewinkel | 1-7 | March 17, 2006 | 2006 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships | ||
| Win | 6-3 | John Velez | 7-4 | ||||
| Win | 5-3 | Kyle Ott | Fall | ||||
| Loss | 4-3 | Nick Simmons | Fall | ||||
| Win | 4-2 | Chad Sportelli | 3-2 | ||||
| Win | 3-2 | Brad Gentzle | Fall | ||||
| 2005 NCAA Championships at 133 lbs | |||||||
| Loss | 2-2 | Mark Jayne | 6-7 | March 18, 2005 | 2005 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships | ||
| Loss | 2-1 | Mack Reiter | 3-8 | ||||
| Win | 2-0 | Matt Ciasulli | 6-4 | ||||
| Win | 1-0 | Evan Sola | Fall | ||||
See also
In Spanish: Chad Mendes para niños
- List of current UFC fighters
- List of male mixed martial artists
