Jose Aldo will put his UFC featherweight title on the line against Chad Mendes at UFC 142, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Jan. 14. An elite striker and Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, Aldo wants to focus his attention on wrestling, Mendes' specialty. To sharpen his takedown defense, the 145-pound king invited former UFC lightweight No. 1 contender Gray Maynard to join his camp.
Brazilian newspaper “O Dia†broke the news Friday morning and Sherdog.com confirmed it with Aldo and Nova Uniao leader Andre Pederneiras. Pederneiras said they will make an official invitation to Maynard next week, when they will get back together at the gym after Eduardo Dantas' bout in the Bellator Fighting Championships bantamweight tournament finals on Saturday.
“We have a big interest in bringing Maynard to train with me,†Aldo said. “He has such strong wrestling (base) and we want people that (have) the same game Chad Mendes does. Mendes is a competitive and hard guy to fight. Me and Maynard have been in touch since UFC 136, and he also said it's his will to train with us at Nova Uniao, but nothing is confirmed thus far, especially because of the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm waiting for the answer.â€
Besides Maynard, Aldo expects two more wrestling specialists, probably from Cuba, to join his camp. According to Aldo, this strategy doesn't mean that Mendes has the toughest takedown game the champion has ever faced.
“Each fighter has a special value and I don't say that someone is better than the other,†he said. “It depends on the day and the condition of the fighter. It's hard to say someone is better than someone. But, for me, the best wrestler is the Olympic or the world's champ, not Mendes.â€
Aldo also doesn't care about his opponent's attempts to provoke him. Chad Mendes has said that he keeps a picture of Aldo inside his refrigerator, and he would enter Aldo's house and steal the belt in Rio.
“Actually I don't even read the news about my fights,†the Nova Uniao product said. “I try to keep my focus on me and outside the gym I try to keep my head off the fights. For me, who says too much doesn't (mean) too much, and I don't like to get involved in this strategy. What happens inside the Octagon is more important.â€
Nearly 16,000 Brazilian fans filled the HSBC Arena for UFC 134 on Aug. 27. Jose Aldo looks forward to see this celebration once again on Jan. 14, when he debuts as a main-event star.
“It's gonna be great to fight here in Rio, even more being the main event,†Aldo said. “I've been asking Dana White and he promised me a main event. The time has come and nothing is better to be here in Brazil, where I was born and raised. I'm really looking forward to this day.â€
