UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes believes he would put himself in line to fight the winner of the upcoming title bout between Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo if he beats Frankie Edgar in The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale, despite losing to McGregor at UFC 189.
McGregor and Mendes met for the interim belt, a title the latter described as “fake” because Aldo suffered a last-minute injury and dropped out of the event. But given Edgar's red-hot form, the TUF 22 Finale should function as a title eliminator, as Mendes told MMA Fighting's Shaun Al-Shatti:
Frankie is a guy who is right there at the top, you know? This is a fight, in my opinion, that is going to cement the true No. 1 contender.
I feel like the winner of this fight should be right back in line for it, whether it's me or Frankie. Obviously I've fought Aldo twice, and Conor for the fake belt. But if you beat a guy like Frankie who's been just on a tear, then you have no choice but to give the guy who wins that fight a title shot, in my opinion.
Mendes lost a rematch against Aldo at UFC 179 but was given an unexpected shot at the interim title at UFC 189, losing to McGregor by TKO in the second round. It was his second loss in his last three fights, so based on his recent record, another title shot may not be an option.
Edgar has been in sensational form since his loss against Aldo at UFC 156, however. The unanimous-decision loss was his first bout in the featherweight division after a lengthy spell as a light-heavyweight, and he has since won four straight, including an impressive showing against Urijah Faber in May.
The 34-year-old seems to have fully adapted to the featherweight division, and given his form, a win over Mendes should earn him another shot at Aldo or a meeting with McGregor. From that perspective, it would make sense if Mendes took his place in case he emerged victorious.
Pundits like Adam Martin believe the two veterans will put up quite the show during the TUF 22 Finale, which would only help sell the possibility of an immediate title shot for the winner:
There's one major hurdle standing in the way of both men, however. Fans have been waiting for Aldo and McGregor to meet for years now, and the former's last-minute injury that prevented their meeting at UFC 189 has only added to the anticipation.
An immediate rematch between the two after their bout at UFC 194 is likely, especially if McGregor were to hand Aldo his first defeat in over a decade. As reported by Al-Shatti, Edgar knows he shouldn't get his hopes up too much:
Speaking to Dana (White), he pretty much said you just don't know what's going to happen with Aldo and McGregor. Barring a barnburner between those guys, I think the winner of our fight should get the next title shot, especially with me coming off five straight wins over top notch guys. But again, nothing is guaranteed and I'm not banking on anything.
The featherweight division has quickly developed into one of the most exciting divisions in the UFC universe, but the rivalry between Aldo and McGregor has taken centre stage, and it seems the rest of the division may have to wait for their chance for now.
In the case of Mendes, there's little to complain about. The 30-year-old already has two defeats at the hands of Aldo on his resume, and two in his last three bouts. A win over Edgar would greatly help his case for another chance, but it's far from a guarantee.
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