Chad Mendes is still under contract with the UFC as a featherweight fighter, but he has no immediate plans to return to mixed martial arts (MMA). Mendes recently discussed his future plans in an interview with MMA Fighting, despite the fact that he hasn’t competed in the UFC since losing to Alexander Volkanovski in December 2018. These days, he is focusing on other activities, like bare-knuckle boxing and grappling. Mendes, who has challenged for the featherweight belt three times, highlighted his decision to refocus his attention on these other sports instead of returning to the UFC octagon.
ASnapshot of Mendes’ Current Priorities
Mendes, who previously fought Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor for the UFC title, recently scored a controversial victory over Diego Brandao at ADXC 5. Mendes’ victory came shortly after a nude-knuckle boxing match, where he had mixed results Lost to Joshua Alvarez but lost to Eddie Alvarez. Despite continuing contractual obligations, Mendes expressed no interest in returning to the UFC octagon. He cited a greater need for financial incentives and his dissatisfaction with the weight loss strategy as major reasons for his reluctance.
The Desire for Big Money and Comfort
“Unless the UFC wants to pay me more money, I have no desire to fight,” Mendes said with a laugh. “At this point, I have no desire to lose any weight. I walk around 175 pounds. Unless it’s something about big money, I don’t like it.” Mendes confirmed his interest in competing but stressed that cutting weight was a major hurdle. She is likely to engage in activities that allow her to avoid the painful process of losing weight.
Balancing Family life and Professional Work
Mendes is currently mentally divided between his family, which includes two young daughters and a wife, and his careers. He acknowledged that his time is spread thin, making a full commitment to training for a possible return a challenge. “I’m a guy who wants to be 100 percent ready for every match because I absolutely hate to lose,” Mendes said. He acknowledged that juggling his personal and professional responsibilities was impacting his ability to devote time to training.
Future Competition and Potential Opportunities
While Mendes isn’t actively looking to return to MMA, he’s still open to interesting opportunities, especially in wrestling. He took a busy recent game against Brandao for limited prep time. Mendes noted that he would welcome a well-prepared camp for future grappling events and would be open to competing in the ADXC again if conditions were right. “I felt good about getting back into wrestling after four years. Given my NCAA wrestling background, I would be more interested in fighting wrestlers,” Mendes added.
Mendes’ reluctance to return to the UFC is evident, but his passion for the competition remains. He focuses on his family and career while keeping an open mind about struggles in the future. With his UFC contract still in effect but his interest in fighting waning, the next step for Mendes will likely be balancing his current career with opportunities a possible in the world of combat sports.
