Chad Mendes will indeed fight again before meeting featherweight champion Jose Aldo.
The Team Alpha Male member was originally expected to face the top featherweight in the world this August, but as HeavyMMA.com first reported, lingering injuries caused the bout to be canceled. Mendes, however, had no desire to wait around for his title shot, as he now meets Rani Yahya at UFC 133.
The promotion announced the bout earlier today.
Mendes last competed at UFC 126 this past February, pushing his record to a perfect 10-0. Prior to that fight, he defeated such notable WEC 145 lb. fighters such as Javier Vazquez and Cub Swanson.
Meanwhile, Yahya has an opportunity to stop the hype train that is “Money” Mendes and spoil his title shot aspirations. In his last contest, Yahya defeated former champion Mike Brown via unanimous decision, surprising many who tuned in to “UFC: Fight For The Troops II.” The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak to end his WEC career.
UFC 133 is set for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 6 and features a light heavyweight bout between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. A middleweight contest between Yoshihiro Akiyama and Vitor Belfort is expected to serve as the co-main event.
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UFC Officials Announce Mendes vs. Yahya