Chad Mendes explains why Jose Aldo, not Conor McGregor, was his toughest opponent

Chad Mendes vs. Jose Aldo | Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Chad Mendes was ranked as the second-best featherweight on the planet behind Jose Aldo for many years in the 2010s and gave the Brazilian one the hardest tests of his UFC reign in an epic battle in 2014. Looking back, he names Aldo as the toughest man he’s ever faced.

“Aldo’s a beast,” Mendes told MMA Fighting. “I still tell everybody to this day, that was my toughest fight. Everyone always thinks it’s Conor [McGregor], but it wasn’t. Aldo was next level. I think that took about 10 years off my life, I always say. That night I got back to the hotel, I was pissing blood. I’d never had that happen on any of my fights. I was pretty beat up after that fight.”

Mendes tested himself against three other former or future UFC champions during his final run in MMA — Conor McGregor, Alexander Volkanovski, and Frankie Edgar, plus Eddie Alvarez in bare-knuckle boxing — but says there’s still no one like Aldo.

Mendes was undefeated in MMA when he first challenged Aldo for UFC gold, venturing into enemy territory as an undefeated 11-0 prospect but ultimately losing via first-round knockout in 2012. Mendes earned another crack at Aldo’s featherweight title in 2014 after earning five wins in a row, and the two put on an epic five-round thriller again in Rio de Janeiro. Aldo won a decision, his final title defense before losing to Conor McGregor.

Mendes replaced Aldo on short notice at UFC 189 to face McGregor for the interim featherweight title the following year, but lost via second-round stoppage.

Aldo recently returned to the UFC after nearly a two-year hiatus — a period in which he went 2-0-1 in boxing — and dominated rising prospect Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301. After completing his UFC deal, Aldo re-signed and now faces Mario Bautista at UFC 307.

“He’s a beast, man,” Mendes said of Aldo’s lateet win. “I’m definitely not surprised he came back and completely dominated like that. … I didn’t even know he was coming back [for UFC 307]. He doesn’t need to. I think he just has the true love for it. And honestly, I do too, that’s why I keep coming back. But that’s awesome, man. I always like watching Aldo fight.”

Aldo could make a case for another shot at the UFC bantamweight title if he keeps beating up-and-comers and UFC contenders, and Mendes won’t count him out against the likes of Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili, who headline UFC 308 for the belt on Sept. 14.

“I would imagine he’s gonna keep pouring his heart and soul into it,” Mendes said. “He doesn’t seem like a guy that half-asses anything, so I think [he can win].”