Jose Aldo And Chad Mendes Clash In Five Round War, Both Trash Talk Conor McGregor

As if Jose Aldo hadn't already developed a legacy in mixed martial arts, he further cemented it this weekend at UFC 179. The dominant featherweight defended his crown for a ninth time by defeating rival Chad Mendes.

The unanimous decision victory was a true battle, with the two going toe-to-toe in the pocket for the duration of the five rounds. Both men dropped the other with huge shots, but were eager to get right back into the mix.

The fight was subject to minor controversy as Mendes repeatedly fouled Aldo in the opening rounds. Later in the fight Aldo attempted to milk a couple of phantom fouls, but referee Marc Goddard had none of it and wouldn't call a break in the action. Also, Aldo landed two heavy punches after the round 1 bell sounded, which rocked Mendes.

Chad Mendes' improvement was on display in this bout, particularly in the striking department. Mendes didn't allow Aldo's lef kicks to throw him off his game, and wasn't intimidated by the fearsome strikes from the featherweight monster. Mendes was unable to force his wrestling game on Aldo however, and had to resort to kickboxing with the champion.

After five grueling rounds, Jose Aldo earned a 49-46 victory, with the judges giving him four rounds to Mendes' one. The scorecard tells a much different story than the fight itself– a razor close brawl fueled by technical mastery.

After the fight Jose Aldo addressed Conor McGregor, saying that he's the featherweight king, Mendes is the prince, and McGregor is the joker. Mendes also said he wished to fight McGregor, who has become the hottest topic in MMA.

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