UFC 142 Results: 5 Fights to Get Chad Mendes Back on Track

Chad "Money" Mendes had his chin foreclosed on by featherweight champion Jose Aldo in the main event of UFC 142 on Saturday night.

Coming into the bout, Mendes was seen as the biggest threat to Aldo's reign, but it only took one round for the Brazilian to connect on a huge knee to crush the Team Alpha Male member's title aspirations.

"[Aldo's] a tough dude. This is the best I've ever felt for a fight. I was very prepared, and he got me," Mendes told UFC commentator Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview. "He's very athletic and very fast. He was the better man."

The bout shouldn't bear any negative representation of what Mendes brings to the table as a fighter. He is easily one of the top three featherweights in the world.

Aldo is just that good.

It's going to be tough for Mendes to rebound from such a decisive defeat. Things will be even tougher on UFC matchmaker Joe Silva in booking future bouts for the tenacious contender.

Mendes could be put in a similar position to Jon Fitch in the welterweight division. For years, Fitch played second fiddle to UFC champ Georges St-Pierre, who seemed to be the only man in the division he couldn't beat.

Is Mendes destined to suffer a similar fate?

Here are five fights to get the young lion back on track.

Diego Nunes

Diego Nunes may be the most under-appreciated fighter at featherweight.

In the UFC, he has secured wins over former WEC lightweight champion Mike Brown and Manny Gamburyan.

He was defeated in June 2011 by former lightweight title contender Kenny Florian, but it was a closely-contested bout that showcased the potential upside to Nunes' overall fight game.

A win over a fighter like Mendes is exactly what he needs to cross over into the elite category of the featherweight division.

Manny Gamburyan

Coming off three straight losses, Manny Gamburyan would be lucky to still have a job.

If he sticks around, the UFC could opt to put him against Mendes. Despite his recent struggles, Gamburyan is still a handful for any fighter at 145 pounds.

This would give Mendes an opportunity to step right back into the fire against a tough opponent.

Chan Sung Jung

"The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung is easily one of the most exciting fighters in the featherweight division.

Against the right opponent, Mendes has it in him as well to steal the show and put on an impressive performance.

A bout between Jung and Mendes would be instant fireworks.

Dustin Poirier

Does the UFC want to risk a young contender?

This should be the biggest question when considering a bout between Dustin Poirier and Mendes.

Poirier has come on strong since transitioning over to the UFC. He is on a four-fight win streak and looking to get a crack at top-10 opposition.

Is he ready for Mendes?

Loser of Hatsu Hioki and Bart Palaszewski

Along with Mendes, Hatsu Hioki presents an intriguing style matchup for Aldo.

The former Shooto lightweight champion combines suffocating top control with slick takedowns. He is considered one of the top three featherweights in the world.

With that said, he has an incredibly tough test ahead of him in his UFC 144 bout against Bart Palaszewski.

The former lightweight recently dropped down to the featherweight division and made quick work of respected UFC veteran Tyson Griffin at UFC 137.

With the winner of the bout likely challenging Aldo for the world title, Mendes should get a crack at the loser to get back on track.