Former UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes has described the feelings that led to his retirement from combat sports after his fight at BKFC 41.
Mendes took on former UFC Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez in the co-main event of BKFC 41, and the fight was exceptional overall. Mendez and Álvarez each stood in the center of the ring for five rounds and overpowered it, with both men getting two knockdowns each. At the end of the ten minutes, Álvarez was declared the winner by split decision after a back-and-forth fight. Moreover, Mendes announced his retirement from combat sports.
After initially retiring from the UFC five years ago, Mendes was lured out of retirement by an offer he couldn’t refuse from BKFC. After two fights in naked fighting, including a knockout win in his BKFC debut two years ago and then this fight against Alvarez, Mendes announced that he was retiring from combat sports, describing his feelings to reporters.
“I’ve been going back and forth with this. I obviously retired from the UFC back in 2018, and I’m done honestly. I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into a few acts and having quality family time that I love to do. I had no desire (to fight) , But something like that came up, and obviously the pay is really good, and it’s a new thing, and it kind of thrills me, so I did it. I finished after that first one, but then they dangled someone like this guy (Alvarez) in front of me, so I was like “Okay, I’ll do another one. I’ll do another one,” Mendes said (trans MMAjunkie.com).
“I just don’t need to do this thing anymore. It’s fun, but I feel like at this point I’m just being selfish. I have a strong family that loves me, and I have other things in the business that I pour my heart and soul into to be successful. But man, that was a fight.” one from hell.”
What are your favorite memories from Chad Mendes’ fight sports career?
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