Chad Mendes has stated that fighting Conor McGregor was ‘easy’, even though McGregor defeated him by knockout in the second round of their championship fight.
In 2015, McGregor, in his prime, overcame a challenging first round against Mendes to secure a TKO victory and win his first UFC title. Mendes, an American fighter, took the fight on short notice, replacing then-champion Jose Aldo, who presented a different style of opponent.
Mendes Asserts McGregor Fight Was Easy Despite Being Knocked Out
Despite being knocked out by Conor McGregor at UFC 189, Chad Mendes insists that McGregor was not a particularly difficult opponent. Mendes dominated the first round with his wrestling skills and nearly finished the fight in the second round before losing his advantageous position and ultimately the fight.
Speaking on Radical Health Radio, Mendes said, “When people ask me about my toughest opponent, they automatically think of Conor because it’s Conor McGregor. But honestly, Conor would have been an easy fight if I had been in proper shape.”
Mendes elaborated, “Aldo is much more athletic, explosive, and stronger, with excellent jiu-jitsu and striking. Conor’s strength at that time was primarily striking. When I took him down, he fought in a way that made it easy for a wrestler like me; he would just hold on.”
McGregor`s Victory Over Mendes Led to UFC Superstardom
It might be hard for newer fans to remember, especially after McGregor’s recent inactivity, but there was a time when Conor McGregor was an active and popular UFC champion. He quickly climbed the featherweight rankings, reaching title contention within just eighteen months of joining the UFC, and eventually won championships in two weight divisions.
His win against Mendes made the anticipated fight between him and Jose Aldo even bigger. And when McGregor defeated the seemingly unbeatable Aldo in just one round, it propelled him to global superstardom.
Even a loss to Nate Diaz couldn`t halt his momentum. McGregor quickly secured a rematch, won, and then pursued a title in a second weight class. His entire journey from signing with the UFC to becoming a champion in two weight classes occurred within just three and a half years.
However, since then, McGregor has struggled to maintain consistency, and his UFC career seems to be winding down. His lucrative boxing match against Floyd Mayweather brought him immense wealth but kept him out of UFC competition for two years.
Upon his return, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated him at UFC 229 in what was then the biggest MMA event ever. Following this, McGregor took another year off before returning with a quick victory over Donald Cerrone. He then faced another extended period of inactivity due to pandemic-related shutdowns.
He eventually returned to fight Dustin Poirier in January 2021 but suffered a shocking knockout loss, the first of his career by strikes. Months later, in their trilogy fight, he broke his leg and has not competed since.
