Ex-Contender Returns from Two Years Off with Brutal TKO at UFC Fight Night Boise

A few years ago, Chad Mendes was an elite-level featherweight. His wrestling background was almost peerless, and his punching power was on another level from those competing at the time.

Then he went 1-3 from 2014 to 2015. Then he was handed a whopping two-year suspension by USADA after testing positive for a banned substance.

That made his fight on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 133 opposite No. 12-ranked Myles Jury an incredibly important one, as he looked to both make up for lost time and send a reminder to the division. It was a huge opportunity for Money...and he made the most of it.

After a by-the-numbers opening to the fight, Mendes showed that he retained all the punching power that made him a contender by flooring Jury with a big left hook. While the fight could have been called then and there, Jury tried to scramble his way back up, only to be thwarted by Mendes' well-honed wrestling. Ground-and-pound followed, and the stoppage came at 2:52 of the first round.

That's a huge win for the veteran and one that thrusts him right into the thick of the wide-open featherweight division. Depending on how things shake out, he could be just a win or two away from challenging for the title.