Skip to main content

Chad Mendes conflicted about fighting beyond BKFC 41: 'This stuff isn't a necessity anymore'

Chad Mendes hasn’t lost his desire to compete, but it needs to be worth it in order for him to continue past BKFC 41.

Mendes takes on Eddie Alvarez in the co-main event Saturday at 1STBANK Center in Denver. The main card streams on FITE TV with a $49.99 price point.

Mendes, a multiple-time UFC title challenger, said he’s still in top form but admits one of his main motivations is money.

“Money talks big time,” Mendes told MMA Junkie Radio. “Obviously I feel like I’m still in my prime. I’m not to the point where I’m like, ‘Man, I’m falling behind here’ and starting to slack in sparring and getting beat up or anything like that. I’m still doing really well. I have no health issues, knock on wood right now, but obviously I feel like we’re all playing with fire every time we step in there. … I have a family and for me, it’s like this stuff isn’t a necessity anymore.

“The money that I get from fighting isn’t something I absolutely need. I have some other businesses that are successful and doing really well. (They) keep me busy, and they’re things that I absolutely love to do, but it is nice to still compete. I still have the drive and hunger to do it. Just at the time with the UFC, in my mind the money wasn’t worth it. The money’s worth it now from the last two fights I’ve had with this organization.”

Mendes, 37, retired from MMA in 2019 before signing a multifight deal with BKFC in 2021. He teased retirement again in a recent interview, but as long as he isn’t taking too much damage and earns big paychecks, he could take one more fight after Alvarez.

“I said this might be the last one. I don’t know,” Mendes said. “We’ll just kind of see how this goes. If I go out there, and it’s a very successful fight for me and I don’t take a ton of damage and the money’s right and the opponent’s right, then maybe I’ll do one more. I don’t know. But I’m kind of taking it fight by fight. I wasn’t honestly sure if I was going to do another one after that first one.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.



from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/0PhnQ7T
via IFTTT
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Drew Dober offers to be Michael Chandler's warm-up fight for Conor McGregor

LAS VEGAS – If Michael Chandler wants to step into the cage before his long-awaited matchup against Conor McGregor, Drew Dober has his hand raised. Dober (26-12 MMA, 12-8 UFC) returns to action on the main card of UFC Fight Night 229 to face Ricky Glenn (22-7-2 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC). While he isn’t looking past his upcoming opponent, Dober has threw his name in the hat should Chandler get tired of waiting around for McGregor to commit to a fight date. “He’s definitely waiting for Conor, I’m still unsure if Conor’s going to ever show up,” Dober told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “If he wants a 5-foot-9 southpaw to get him warmed up for that fight, I’m absolutely available. He’s just got to let me know when he wants to do it.” Dober, a lightweight competitor, is willing to move up in weight to face Chandler, even though the two fighters share the same weight class. “He said he’s 190 pounds right now? I can fight him at 170,” Dober said. “I’m here for the excitement and he brings ...
Read more

Henry Cejudo: 'I still don't see Sean O'Malley as the best in the world' ahead of UFC 299

Henry Cejudo is not sold on Sean O'Malley as UFC bantamweight champion. O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) knocked out Aljamain Sterling to become 135-pound champion at UFC 292, whereas Cejudo is coming off a close title loss to Sterling at UFC 288 . O’Malley will make his first title defense against Marlon Vera in the UFC 299 headliner on March 9, and Cejudo is still adamant that “Chito” beats O’Malley again – despite being a sizable underdog. “I still don’t see Sean O’Malley as the best in the world,” Cejudo said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel . “I don’t. I do believe ‘Chito’ Vera is going to beat him. You have good defense, you walk that dude down, you kick his freaking legs – he still has that wide leg – you kick his legs, you just bring the fight to him and grit. “This is what Sean O’Malley will do: He’ll look at the clock because he throws a lot of power. He is precise, but he throws a lot of it. I would bet the house on ‘Chito.’ Once I beat Merab (Dvalishvili), I’m goi...
Read more

Tatiana Suarez targets drop to strawweight next, lists Rose Namajunas as potential opponent

LAS VEGAS – Tatiana Suarez is set on a move back to strawweight, despite having a successful return at 125 pounds. Suarez made her long-awaited return to competition Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 220. Suarez (9-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who hadn’t competed in nearly four years due to a series of injuries, submitted Montana De La Rosa (12-8-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout. But despite picking up a dominant win at 125 pounds, as well as a $50,000 bonus, Suarez is determined to return to her original weight class and resume a title run. “I think they should give me a really good opponent at strawweight, and I’ll earn it,” Suarez told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 220 post-fight press conference. “I’ve never been given anything in my life. I’ve always earned it, and I don’t mind doing that because I think that builds character. You have to work for the things you want in your life. I don’t mind doing that because that’s how my mom and grandma raised me. “I’...
Read more