Tag: ADXC 5

Chad Mendes expects takedowns to ‘come pretty easy’ vs. Diego Brandao at ADXC 5

Chad Mendes sees his wrestling playing a big role at ADXC 5.

ABU DHABI – [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag] sees his wrestling playing a big role at ADXC 5.

Former multiple-time UFC title challenger Mendes takes on Season 14 “Ultimate Fighter” winner [autotag]Diego Brandao[/autotag] in a no-gi grappling match Friday in Abu Dhabi.

Brandao wasn’t Mendes’ original opponent. The Team Alpha Male fighter was initially booked against Kevin Lee, who withdrew. Then he was linked to a top-ranked UFC lightweight before Brandao jumped in.

The last-second change had Mendes sweating for a moment.

“I was excited about it,” Mendes told MMA Junkie. “Honestly, I didn’t really care who my opponent was. Just coming out here has been something on my bucket list for a long time. So, getting to come out here and do something I absolutely love, which is grapple, I mean, it’s a win-win for me. So, I honestly didn’t care. I was a little nervous that it was going to fall through.

“Because originally it was Kevin Lee, then he backed out, and they had (Beneil) Dariush for a little bit, and then he backed out, and then it ended up becoming Diego. So, after the second backout, I was like, I think this is going to fall through and then ended up getting word that Diego’s making it. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to make it out here, so we’re happy to be here.”

Mendes, a former NCAA Division 1 wrestler, plans on dictating the pace but knows he has to be wary of Brandao’s sneaky jiu-jitsu skills.

“The takedowns are going to be something that are probably going to come pretty easy for me,” Mendes said. “I don’t know how much he’s going to be able to deal with on the feet either pulling guard or getting taken down and pulling guard from there, and holding is probably something he’s going to do a lot of. So, something we’ve worked on is just solid guard passes, being safe there.

“I know he’s got some explosive armbars off his back, so he’s the type of jiu-jitsu guy that will kind of play slow, play slow and then explode into things, which is very similar to my style also. So, just knowing that, I have to be careful and just be super aware that, at any time, if I feel like I’m getting into a position that could be dangerous, he could be exploding into something at any time.”

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ADXC 5 headliner Urijah Faber: Beating Bibiano Fernandes in grappling ‘a trophy for me’

Urijah Faber will be taking on a familiar foe at ADXC 5.

ABU DHABI – UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] will be taking on a familiar foe at ADXC 5.

Former WEC champion Faber headlines Friday’s grappling event when he takes on Bibiano Fernandes in a no-gi match. The pair previously competed in MMA before, with Faber defeating Fernandes by doctor’s stoppage TKO at King of the Cage in 2006.

Fernandes is a former multiple-time defending ONE Championship bantamweight title holder and also holds decorated jiu-jitsu accolades. He is a five-time world jiu-jitsu champion and three-time Pan American champion.

“I followed Bibiano’s career. I always respected the fact that he jumped into my world straight out of his world championship in jiu-jitsu,” Faber told MMA Junkie. “(He) was just fearless and believing he could do it. I love that about him, and then I followed his career afterwards where he was making his name and going on and becoming a world champion years later.

“So, I love his story. I love his spirit. I love that he’s a world champion because, for me, when I fight a world champion, if I win that world championship, that’s a trophy for me. If I can beat the guy that just won the world championship, what’s that make me? So, that’s the way I look at it.”

Faber has competed in multiple grappling matches since hanging up his UFC gloves in 2019. He most recently submitted Jeff Glover in a combat jiu-jitsu match at his promotion A1 Combat in May and plans to continue challenging himself on the mats.

“I’m going to continue to test myself, take on young up-and-comers, guys with history,” Faber said. “Maybe a match with like a Dominick Cruz or somebody like that, but we had our beef. That’s old news, man (laughs).”

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ADXC 5 to feature Urijah Faber vs. Bibiano Fernandes, Chad Mendes vs. Kevin Lee

The next ADXC event features several former UFC fighters.

The next ADXC event features several former UFC fighters.

ADXC 5 will be headlined by former WEC champion [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag], who takes on [autotag]Bibiano Fernandes[/autotag] in a no-gi match Aug. 2. In the co-main event, multiple-time UFC featherweight title challenger [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag] meets former UFC interim title challenger [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag], promotion officials announced this week.

The event takes place one day before UFC on ABC 7 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, which is headlined by a bantamweight matchup between Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov.

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Faber and Fernandes competed in MMA before, with Faber defeating Fernandes by doctor’s stoppage TKO at King of the Cage in 2006. Faber is coming off a submission win of Jeff Glover in a combat jiu-jitsu match at his promotion A1 Combat in May.

Fernandes is a former multiple-time defending ONE Championship bantamweight title holder. He is coming off back-to-back losses to John Lineker, and Stephen Loman.

Mendes announced his retirement from the bareknuckle boxing world following his split decision loss to Eddie Alavarez in the co-main event of BKFC 41 in April. Meanwhile, Lee intends on coming out of retirement and returning to MMA after briefly hanging up his gloves in July.