Picture Credit: Twitter
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight title contender Chad Mendes is all set to make his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) debut in February this year. The American MMA fighter announced the news through an Instagram post. 'Money' will make his BKFC debut on 19 February 2022 against Joshuah Alvarez in a lightweight scrap. However, an official announcement about his opponent's name is yet to be made by Mendes or the promotion. The event is expected to take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
Chad Mendes' return will mark his presence on the sporting scene after a three-year hiatus. Mendes retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) in July 2019. His last fight was against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 232 in December 2018. Prior to hanging it up, the Team Alpha Male (TAM)-trained fighter had been on a bit of a slump, losing four of his last six fights inside the Octagon, including defeats to Conor McGregor, Frankie Edgar, and Jose Aldo.
"It’s been a lifelong grind and it ain’t over yet! Feb 19 I’m bringing the heat in Florida. I’ll have ticket info soon guys. For anyone else looking to watch, all you have to do is download the BKFC app and subscribe. It’s that easy!" Mendes wrote in his announcement post's caption.
Chad Mendes not the first to join BKFC
It has become a common trend for fighters to enter other promotions after parting ways with the UFC. While some continue their MMA career in different promotions, others walk a different path. Chad Mendes is not the first but just the latest MMA fighter to join the BKFC. Mendes has joined the likes of Joey Beltran, Joe Riggs, Rachael Ostovich, and Paige VanZant to make the jump into BKFC.
He will be joined by another former UFC contender at the February 19 Knucklemania event. Former welterweight fighter Mike Perry who also announced his move to BKFC will now take on Julian Lane in the main event of KnuckleMania 2 on Friday.