Chad Mendes, a former UFC featherweight title challenger, remains under contract with the UFC but is not interested in returning to MMA unless offered significant financial incentives, preferring instead to participate in grappling events and focus on his personal life and businesses.
Three-time UFC featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes still has fights left on his UFC contract. However, he isn’t very interested in returning to the octagon anytime soon.
Having been away from the UFC since losing to future champion Alexander Volkanovski in December 2018, Mendes recently spoke with MMA Fighting. This conversation followed a grappling win over Diego Brandao at ADXC 5, where Mendes discussed the possibility of putting on MMA gloves again.
“I don’t know. I still I’m under contract with the UFC though,” said Mendes. He challenged Jose Aldo twice and Conor McGregor for UFC titles in the 2010s. “I think I still have three or four fights on that last contract that I’ll just never fight, so I can’t fight MMA anywhere anyways, which I really don’t have any desire to do it.”
Mendes continued, “But I was able to do the bare-knuckle boxing and I can come do these grappling events anytime.”
Under the BKFC banner, Mendes fought twice. He knocked out Joshuah Alvarez in 2022 and then lost a split decision to Eddie Alvarez a year later.
“[UFC] would have to pay me a lot of money [to fight again], honestly, and they’re not willing to do it, so no,” Mendes said with a laugh. “Honestly, at this point in my career, I have zero desire to cut any weight.”
He elaborated, “I usually walk around like 175 [pounds]. Unless it’s like big money, it’s not really anything at this point I want to do. I love competing and I absolutely hate cutting weight.”
“If it’s something that I can compete, make some money, have fun and not have to cut weight, sign me up,” Mendes added. “I’m all for it.”
“I got nothing planned as far as any other competitions,” he noted. “I keep saying I’m retired — I left the UFC in 2018, but I started doing bare-knuckle the last two years.”
“My last fight I said I was done. The first one I said I was done, then I ended up coming back and fighting Eddie Alvarez, and then I said I was done again.”
Mendes reflected on his current commitments: “We’ll see, but I don’t have anything locked up. I mean, I got two little girls at home and a wife and multiple businesses that I’m trying to blow up and make successful.”
“There’s a lot of time that gets snatched up from all that. It’s honestly hard to put in the amount of time that I actually really want to.”
He emphasized his dedication: “I’m the type of guy that wants to train and be 100 percent prepared going into any type of competition because I absolutely hate to lose, so it’s hard for me.”
Originally slated to grapple against Kevin Lee at ADXC, Brandao stepped in as a late-notice replacement. Mendes admitted he “didn’t have a ton of time” to prepare for the match due to his business commitments.
Despite limited prep time, Mendes won. He remains open to competing again for ADXC if the opportunity is interesting but would appreciate a proper camp next time.
“His wrestling was a little bit better than I was expecting,” Mendes said of Brandao. “I figured I’d be able to control top position a little bit better.”
“But he did a good job of not staying in any bad position.” Mendes continued, “He would explode out, get back up to his feet.”
“We basically just had to turn it into a takedown clinic.” He added, “And there were a few submissions I attempted that I saw for a split second.”
“But he’s strong and just…I wasn’t able to get it done.” Reflecting on his performance: “All in all, it felt good.”
“That’s the first time I’ve competed in any grappling in like four years,” he concluded. “So it felt good to get back home.”
“I like going against wrestlers better,” Mendes shared. “I have NCAA top-level wrestling.”
“So when I have somebody that’s OK engaging in wrestling and is there to wrestle, I feel great.” He expected Diego Brandao “to pull guard more and not want to stand up with me.”
“But he was allowing me to do the snapdowns.” Mendes explained how exhausting this can be: “That stuff gets you tired if you’re not used to it.”
“And he let me do that throughout the whole match.” Mendes speculated about future matches: “I don’t think it would have been any more difficult.”
“I actually would have probably enjoyed having somebody that was there mixing in more wrestling.” Looking ahead: “We’ll see for next time.”
“Either that fight with AJ [Agazarm] sounds good or somebody else maybe even in the UFC.”