Chad Mendes

Chad 'Money' Mendes was one of the top featherweights of his era, an elite collegiate wrestler who added serious knockout power to become a genuine threat to anyone in the division. He challenged for the title three times - twice against the legendary Jose Aldo and once, on short notice, against Conor McGregor.

Those title fights defined his career. He pushed Aldo in close, competitive bouts and famously hurt McGregor in their interim title fight before fading in the second round of a short-notice effort. Beyond the title shots, his blend of strong takedowns and a compact, powerful right hand made him a tough out for the whole division.

For newcomers, Mendes is a great window into the stacked featherweight division of the Aldo era. Now retired, he's remembered as an explosive, hard-nosed contender who came up just short of a title but tested the best of his generation.