UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Ariel Helwhiney
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes. January 14, 2012. HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The second UFC event in Rio de Janeiro, following UFC 134 in August 2011. José Aldo defended the UFC Featherweight Championship against Chad Mendes by TKO at 4:59 of round one — with one second remaining in the round. Aldo celebrated by running into the crowd.
Edson Barboza knocked out Terry Etim with a spinning heel kick in a finish widely considered one of the most spectacular in UFC history. Vitor Belfort submitted Anthony Johnson in round one. Johnson had come in 11 pounds over the middleweight limit. Erick Silva was disqualified against Carlo Prater in a controversial stoppage.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: January 14, 2012
Venue: HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (second UFC in Rio after UFC 134 in August 2011)
Attendance: 10,605
Main Event: José Aldo (c) vs. Chad Mendes — UFC FW Championship
Result: Aldo def. Mendes — TKO (Knee) — R1, 4:59 — ONE SECOND left in R1; Aldo ran into the crowd post-fight
Notable: Barboza spinning heel kick KO of Etim (KOTN); Belfort subs Johnson (Johnson 11 lbs overweight, cut); Erick Silva DQ; $65k bonuses
The Build-Up
Aldo’s previous UFC title fights — against Hominick and then Florian — had been decided by decision. He was considered dominant but not as spectacular as his WEC-era finishes. The Mendes fight returned him to the highlight reel. Mendes was the top-ranked FW challenger, unbeaten in his UFC run. Anthony Johnson’s weight issue dominated pre-fight discussion; the Belfort fight survived after Johnson weighed in at 204.2 lbs on fight day.
Main Event
José Aldo (c) vs. Chad Mendes — UFC FW Championship
Aldo checked Mendes’ early leg kicks and defended multiple takedown attempts throughout the round. With one second remaining at 4:59 of round one, Mendes shot in for a double-leg takedown. Aldo sprawled, grabbed a Thai clinch, and landed a knee directly to Mendes’ face as he came in. Mendes fell to the canvas unconscious. Referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight. One second. Aldo did not wait to celebrate; he ran directly into the crowd.
Co-Main Event
Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson — Middleweight
Johnson arrived at the weigh-ins 11 pounds over the 186 lb middleweight limit at 197 lbs. He was fined 20% of his earnings. Belfort requested that Johnson weigh no more than 205 lbs on fight day; Johnson weighed in at 204.2 lbs and the fight proceeded at a catchweight. Belfort submitted Johnson by rear-naked choke at 4:49 of round one. Johnson was cut from the UFC following this event.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Felipe Arantes def. Antonio Carvalho — Decision — R3 — FW
Iuri Alcântara def. Michihiro Omigawa — Decision — R3 — FW
Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Funch — KO — R1 — WW
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Ednaldo Oliveira — Sub — R? — HW
Thiago Tavares def. Sam Stout — Decision — R3 — LW
Main Card
Edson Barboza def. Terry Etim — KO (Spinning Heel Kick) — R? — LW; KO Night ($65k each; one of the most spectacular KOs in UFC history)
Carlo Prater def. Erick Silva — DQ — R1 — WW; controversial disqualification (illegal strikes to back of head)
Rousimar Palhares def. Mike Massenzio — Submission — R1, 1:03 — MW; Fight of the Night ($65k to Palhares)
Vitor Belfort def. Anthony Johnson — Sub (RNC) — R1, 4:49 — MW (catchweight 205 lbs); Johnson 11 lbs over; Co-Main
UFC FW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
José Aldo def. Chad Mendes — TKO (Knee) — R1, 4:59 — ONE SECOND left; Aldo ran into crowd to celebrate
Bonuses & Awards
KO of the Night: Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim — $65,000 to each fighter.
Fight of the Night / Performance: Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio — $65,000 to Palhares.
Records & Milestones
Aldo KOs Mendes with 1 second remaining in round one — the knee landed at 4:59 of the five-minute round; the one-second finish is one of the closest-to-round-end stoppages in FW championship history.
Edson Barboza’s spinning heel kick of Terry Etim — widely cited as one of the most technically spectacular knockouts in UFC LW history.
Anthony Johnson 11 lbs overweight — career-defining weight cutting failure; cut from the UFC following this event.
Legacy & Impact
Aldo vs. Mendes at UFC 142 was the fight that repositioned José Aldo’s narrative. His two previous UFC title fights had been decisions. His WEC reputation had been built on spectacular finishes. The Mendes knee — at 4:59 of round one, with Mendes coming in for a takedown — had the timing and precision of his best WEC moments. Running into the crowd was the celebration of someone who had been waiting to do something like that.
Barboza vs. Etim produced the spinning heel kick that MMA coaches still show students. The mechanics of the technique, the timing against a forward-moving Etim, and the completeness of the finish — Etim out cold on the canvas — made the video one of the most-shared clips in UFC history.
FAQ
How did Jose Aldo finish Chad Mendes at UFC 142?
Mendes shot for a double-leg takedown with one second remaining in round one. Aldo sprawled into a Thai clinch and landed a knee directly to Mendes' face. The knee connected at 4:59, with one second left in the round.
Was UFC 142 the second UFC in Rio?
Yes. UFC 134 in August 2011 was the first. UFC 142 in January 2012 was the second UFC event held at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
What made Barboza's KO of Etim so notable?
Edson Barboza landed a spinning heel kick (wheel kick) on Terry Etim that knocked him out cold. The technique, timing, and outcome made it one of the most replayed KOs in the sport's history.
Why was Anthony Johnson cut from the UFC after UFC 142?
Johnson arrived at the weigh-ins 11 pounds over the middleweight limit. He had also missed weight at a previous event. The combination of repeated weight cutting failures and the UFC 142 loss to Belfort led to his release.
Was Erick Silva disqualified at UFC 142?
Yes. Erick Silva was disqualified in his fight against Carlo Prater for landing punches to the back of Prater's head. The DQ was controversial; many observers felt the stoppage was premature or that the strikes in question were borderline.
References
Comments