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[Cat--Smasher]

Chad Mendes on UFC 148 Foe Cody McKenzie: 'The Guy's Nuts'

"I was anxious to get back in there and I think that the UFC was having some difficulty in finding someone, just due to injury and I think matchups were already taken," said Mendes. "So I think Cody actually called the UFC, that's what I heard, and said he's going down to 145 and wants a tough fight.

"So they were, 'Mendes is the only one available, but haven't you guys trained together?' And he said, 'Its a business, send me a contract.' So, you know, it's him calling me out, and its a business, so I'm going to get in there and try to whoop that ass."

McKenzie brings a unique style to the Octagon, one that often seems to involve taking a beating until he finds a way to win via guillotine choke. Twelve of the Spokane, Wash. native's 13 wins have come via way of submission, 11 via guillotine.

The way Mendes sees it, though, the fact they've trained together will work to his advantage.

"It's definitely a comforting thing knowing you sparred with the guy and knowing that I've gotten the best of him," he said. "But I'm definitely taking this fight seriously, I know it's not for the world title, but I'm definitely not taking him lightly. Like I said, he's a funky fighter, he's got something sneaky, he uses the guillotine choke and he's really, really good at it. It's something we've focused on for this training camp. It's something we spent a lot of time on."

Mendes returns to action six months after his first career loss, a fight in which he was competitive right up until Aldo finished him with a flying knee in the closing seconds of the opening round. Mendes admitted to dwelling on the defeat for awhile, but he also vowed to learn from his mistakes and become a better fighter.

"After a win you usually come back and your spirits are high, you can look back at the fight and get excited," said Mendes. "After a loss it's different. I just felt like alone, thinking about what happened, the mistake I made. I'm just like 'damnit.' But then I start to realize, this is what I do for a living, it's nothing to be upset about, its a great way to make a living, I get to train and be with my buddies all day and go all around the world and stuff, so, get in there and fight someone one on one and get paid for it and not get in trouble. I realized that and I just kind of lightened up, I looked back, I looked at that fight a bunch and I saw the mistakes i made, it's in my mind now and hopefully I'll never make it again. I think if I get two to three more wins, hopefully I'll be right back in there.

"He's a strange guy, he's a little odd," said Mendes. "It's just business, I'm ready to fight anyone. When they told me [McKenzie wanted to fight him], I said, alright, send me the contract too, let's do this."

Chad Mendes on UFC 148 Foe Cody McKenzie: 'The Guy's Nuts' - MMA Fighting

[Qball1974]

Hope Cody wins I have money on him lol

[ckauffman28]

Cody is a one trick pony, but that damn one trick has won him every fight hes won in UFC, i still got Mendes by UD though

[goodtimes]

It's crazy, even with people knowing his guillotine is so dangerous, it seems like they are still shocked when they get caught in it. If Mendes is smart, he'll just stand back and box, and only do upper body takedowns. Will make for a boring fight, but should be an easy win for Mendes.

[Rise]

Wonder if Cody is picking up some new things working with Gracie camp. If he improves his boxing he will be that much better if he can learn to mimic Nick and Nate.