Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight number one contender Chad Mendes put reigning division kingpin Jose Aldo on blast for pulling out of their UFC 176 pay-per-view (PPV) headliner -- which torpedoed the entire event -- after sustaining yet another injury.
I believe the word he used to describe the Brazilian was "fragile."
That didn't sit too well with Aldo, who issued a scathing formal statement to Combate (helpfully transcribed by MMA Fighting). "Junior" insists it's not so easy to stay healthy when you don't have the benefit of magic "supplements" to rely on.
His words:
"Maybe I have so many injuries because I'm not taking the same ‘supplements' you take. I have injuries because I train a lot to beat you like I did last time, and I think you remember that and still have nightmares about it. I did all the medical exams I had to do, but if you're a doctor now, I can send them so you can take a look. Maybe you can prescript one of your supplements so I can heal faster. You're the one who seems to only fight at your home, who desperately doesn't want to fight in Brazil. I got injured before and my fight with Frankie Edgar was (the fight) moved from Brazil to Las Vegas. I fought your coach (Urijah Faber) in your home (Sacramento), fought at Mark Hominick's home in front of 55,000 fans. I fought in Japan and Europe. And now you tell me you want to be the champion? A champion doesn't choose opponents or where the fight is going to be. And now I ask you, who's the real pussy?"
Ouch.
Aldo is only expected to miss 45 days as a result of a bum neck. But if he requires more time, Mendes will push for an interim title, something that UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta isn't ruling out. It's still too early to tell, but there are a couple of 145-pound contenders who could step right in, if needed.
In the meantime, the UFC 176 fight card has been dissolved and the leftover fights have been sent here and here.