Dana White: Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes II rescheduled for UFC 179 in Rio
SAN JOSE – Following Saturday’s UFC on FOX 12 card, UFC President Dana White announced a canceled rematch between featherweight champ Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes will headline UFC 179 on Oct. 25 in Rio de Janeiro.
The news comes after the promotion announced a quartet of Brazilian shows for the remainder of 2014, the second of which is the pay-per-view event, which takes place at Ginasio do Maracanazinho.
Aldo (24-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Mendes (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) originally were scheduled to meet Aug. 2 at UFC 176 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, but Aldo was forced to withdraw from the event due to a neck and spine injury. The event subsequently was canceled despite reportedly solid ticket sales.
Officials said the champ’s injury would only keep him out of action for 45 days, yet a date for the rescheduled bout remained a mystery until White broke the news at the UFC on FOX 12 post-fight news conference at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
Aldo stopped Mendes with a knee when they first met more than two years ago at UFC 142 in a fight that also took place in Rio de Janeiro. Mendes subsequently won five straight to earn a rematch. Aldo, meanwhile, defended his title another three times in bouts against Frankie Edgar, Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas.
