UFC 148: Chad Mendes is not afraid of Cody McKenzie's guillotine

Just like the boy scout's say, "Be prepared."

Chad Mendes, fresh off the first loss of his career to UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo this past January, will return to the Octagon to face Cody McKenzie on the UFC 148 main card this Saturday night (July 7, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

McKenzie is a long, lanky and awkward veteran of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 12 and the last 13 of his career victories have come by way of his patented guillotine choke "The McKenzitine."

While many would likely expect issues dealing with a unique fighter like "The AK Kid," who's dropping down to featherweight for the first time after four lightweight bouts in the UFC, Mendes has a secret weapon:

If you're going to be facing a fighter with a patented guillotine choke, it doesn't hurt to be training with some of the best guillotine implementers out there in a training camp that is already heralded with the best guillotine chokes.

Mendes explains (via UFC.com) exactly how prepared he is for McKenzie's secret weapon after the jump:

"From the beginning I've been training with guys like Joseph Benavidez and Urijah Faber, who have the best guillotines in the world, I'd say. They can catch anybody at anytime with them, and it's something I've had to deal with since Day One. I can't count how many guillotines I got caught in the first week I was here training, and it's definitely something that we're focused on because we know it's Cody's go-to move. It's his power move and it's probably what he's banking on to win this fight."

McKenzie, while popular with the UFC's fanbase, is not exactly title contender material at this point in his career. While some fear that such a large step down from a title shot might cause "Money" Mendes to take his opponent a bit lightly, the Team Alpha Male wrestler claims that is not the case by a long shot.

"I'm definitely not taking this fight lightly. I've been training just as hard as I was for Aldo, and I want to get in there and finish him. Coming off that loss, I want to prove a point, and I think finishing Cody will make that point. That's the plan, I'm gonna get in there and go after it."

Well there you have it. Mendes will be looking to make a statement and get back into title contention this Saturday night. Do you think "Money" will be able to pull it off? Is there any chance McKenzie can lock in that modified guillotine when the wrestler shoots in on him?

Speak up!