Chad Mendes discusses Edgar fight, feels Conor McGregor owes him a rematch

On Tuesday, it was reported that three-time featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes would headline The Ultimate Fighter 22 finale with former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Mendes and Edgar have long been considered two of the finest talents at 145 lbs. but the two have yet to face each other in the Octagon.

When talking to hosts Kenny Florian and Daniel Cormier on 'UFC Tonight' on Wednesday, 'Money' discussed the matchup with Edgar and feels the stylistic clash will make for a great fight.

"You know, this is a fight that I know a lot of people have been wanting to see for a long time now," Mendes said. "I've watched Frankie fight for a long time and he's always a guy that, because of his size, I figured that as soon as I start working my way to the top of the division, as soon as he comes down we're gonna be there together and the time is now - I'm excited for this fight man. Frankie, he's a scrapper, I feel we kind of have similar styles. He's the type of guy with great cardio who pushes the pace, uses his wrestling a lot and kinda mixes up his boxing with his wrestling."

Mendes went on to explain how a win over Edgar catapults him to the top of the division for another title shot, which led Kenny Florian to mention his interim title fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 189.

After Jose Aldo pulled out of the main event citing a rib injury, Mendes stepped in on just two weeks' notice and was TKO'd in the second round by McGregor after a thrilling back and forth battle. The Californian firmly believes he beats 'The Notorious' with a full training camp.

"I mean, that [the short training camp] was 110% the factor of the loss in that fight," Mendes affirmed. "You know, I've seen him saying like 'oh it doesn't matter if he took a short camp for this fight, you know it was the body kicks that slowed him down and stopped him.' None of those body kicks hurt at all. There wasn't a time where any of those that landed where I was like 'argh, my liver,' you know. There was no type of body pain for that."

Although Mendes cited the short training camp as the factor for his loss, the Team Alpha Male product announced before the fight that he'd always been in good shape and discussed how he'd been preparing for McGregor by studying tape since his UFC inception.

According to McGregor's coach John Kavanagh, the Irishman was also battling with a knee injury prior to the bout and did no live wrestling training in the lead-up to UFC 189.

Chad Mendes insists that he 'destroys' McGregor in a rematch with a full training camp and gameplan.

"I know it, he knows it, everybody knows it - you know, I go out there with a full camp destroy that guy 10 out of 10 times. Obviously going into that fight I'm gonna talk it up. You know 'I'm in great shape, I've been training.' Yea, I've been training and keeping a decent shape but there was no way you could ever be in a five round fight shape, you know, in two weeks. Like I said, he knows it, every body knows it - full camp I destroy that guy."

Concluding the interview, Mendes feels McGregor owes him a rematch, win or lose against Jose Aldo at UFC 194 in December.

"He better not try to ditch out of this fight whether he wins or loses and try to go up to 155 or some stupid thing. You know, I feel like he owes me a rematch with a full fight camp, and err, let's see if he's man enough to do that."

Chad Mendes will collide with Frankie Edgar at the TUF 22 Finale on December 11th, just one day before Conor McGregor takes on Jose Aldo in a title unification bout at UFC 194 on December 12th.