Chad Mendes admits that he is unsure if his fight against Eddie Alvarez will be his last one, but he is excited about the opportunity and the significant payday.
Chad Mendes didn’t know if he would continue to compete after retiring in 2018, but when Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, he decided to make a return. After an impressive win in his bare-knuckle fighting debut, Mendes found himself at a crossroads, with businesses and investments keeping him busy enough to never fight again. However, another call came with an intriguing opportunity.
Mendes revealed that the offer of fighting Eddie Alvarez, a former UFC lightweight champion and MMA legend, along with a lucrative payday, was too good to pass up. “This is the biggest payday of my career,” Mendes said. “I just feel when I left the UFC, I was still in my prime. I didn’t leave because I felt like I was done, I was too old, I was getting passed up. I was still fighting and competing with the best guys in the world.”
Like his previous fight in BKFC, Mendes can’t say for certain if his upcoming matchup against Alvarez may end up as his final appearance in combat sports. A win on Saturday won’t be the determining factor, but Mendes is honest enough to admit that he couldn’t imagine a much better conclusion to his career if that’s the case.