UFC 179: 3 Fighters with the Most to Gain
UFC 179 will set the stage for three fighters whose victories would speak volumes. On October 25, Chad Mendes will attempt to wrest away the featherweight title for a second time from the reigning champion, Jose Aldo. He suffered his only loss to the champion at UFC 142, having been viciously knocked out at the end of the first round. Mendes seeks redemption but will have to weather the storm in Aldo's home country of Brazil.
Phil Davis, on the other hand, will give great efforts to remain relevant among the light heavyweight division’s top echelon of fighters. His stock severely fell after dropping a one-sided decision to Anthony Johnson in his previous fight, and a loss to his opponent at UFC 179 would place him completely out of title contention status.
Lastly, Beneil Dariush is making strides in the lightweight division and has his sights set on finishing his Brazilian counterpart, Diego Ferreira. If the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace in Dariush is victorious, he’ll more than likely face name lightweight opponents, such as Michael Johnson and Eddie Alvarez, in his next outing.
Chad Mendes
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Mendes has just one loss on his record, and that blemish is courtesy of the featherweight champion who hasn’t lost a fight since 2005. Mendes was knocked out in Brazil during his last visit to the South American nation, and earlier this year, he spoke about his loss to Aldo at UFC 142. According to Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting.com, Mendes stated:
"I honestly believe, since that first fight, I'm completely different fighter. Back then I relied pretty much, I'd say 90 percent, on my wrestling and taking that fight, I probably wasn't ready for that fight. I think I had a couple of fights in the UFC, still trying to basically figure my style, myself out as a fighter. I went in there and took the fight. You just don't turn those fights down in this sport and that's what happened.
"
Since his first loss, Mendes has accumulated a record of 5-0 in his last five matchups, defeating the likes of perennial contender Clay Guida and most recently, Nik Lentz. For Mendes, a win is imperative. The last time he fell to Aldo, Mendes fought five combatants to return to title contention. If he loses to the champion once more, the 29-year-old will be forced to heavily reconsider his career at featherweight.
Phil Davis
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Phil Davis, the No. 6 contender, has the opportunity to redeem himself with a win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 179. In his last outing, he suffered a devastating loss to Anthony Johnson, losing all rounds on each of the judges’ scorecards.
Nevertheless, Mr. Wonderful holds a respectable record of 12-2, with notable wins over former World Extreme Cagefighting light heavyweight champion Brian Stann, Tim Boetsch, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson.
In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Davis stated his intentions of returning to title contention. According to Dave Doyle, he exclaimed:
"Look at what he's (Teixeira) accomplished. He won 20 straight fights and it took Jon Jones to finally end the streak. I'm fighting in his hometown. He's looking to get right back into the title mix. If I defeat Glover (Teixeira) under those circumstances, what does that say about me? It says I'm right up there.
"
Davis’ No. 4 opponent, Teixeira, was riding a 20-fight win streak before having it broken by the current light heavyweight champion. If Davis is able to secure a victory over his hard-hitting opponent at UFC 179, the former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler may find himself contending for a title sooner rather than later.
Beneil Dariush
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Dariush has become one of the most active fighters on the UFC roster. At UFC 179, he will have fought four times this year. The Iranian-born fighter sports an 8-1 record and has no intentions of slowing down. In an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report, Dariush recently expressed he’d relish fighting for a fifth time in December. He stated, “My only hope is that I can fight again December 13th on the same card as my teammate Rafa (Rafael dos Anjos).”
Despite the fact Dariush faces an undefeated Brazilian in his home country, he expressed being unfazed by the pressure. Dariush continued:
"My mental preparation comes from my training. The more I train the more confident I am. I fought in Brazil before. So, I'm somewhat familiar with the pressure of the crowd.
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Out of his eight victories, the 25-year-old has finished all but one of his opponents and will attempt to duplicate that success at UFC 179. With a dominant victory in Brazil, Dariush may finally look forward to facing talent from the lightweight division’s top 10, something the Kings MMA protege embraces heartily.
“I finish fights," he said. "My record will back my statement.”
*All quotes were given directly to Bleacher Report, unless otherwise noted.
Follow this featured columnist @clintonbullock.
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