Introduction
UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor. July 11, 2015. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. One of the most significant events in UFC history and arguably one of the finest single cards ever presented. Conor McGregor won the interim UFC Featherweight Championship by TKO of Chad Mendes in round two. Robbie Lawler defended the WW title against Rory MacDonald in a fight inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as one of the greatest in the promotion’s history. 825,000 PPV buys. The first UFC event with Reebok fight kits.
The event was originally headlined by Jose Aldo (c) vs. McGregor’s long-anticipated FW title fight. Aldo withdrew with a rib injury on June 30 — 12 days before the event. Mendes accepted on short notice. McGregor’s entrance was scored by Sinéad O’Connor singing ‘Foggy Dew’ live. Mendes’s entrance featured Aaron Lewis performing ‘Country Boy’ live.
The co-main event between Lawler and MacDonald is cited as one of the greatest fights in UFC history. Both men were bloodied, MacDonald’s nose was broken, his foot was broken, and Lawler’s lip was severely cut. Lawler stopped MacDonald with a left hand at the one-minute mark of round five. The fight was named 2015 Fight of the Year by multiple outlets and inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.
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: July 11, 2015
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
PPV: 825,000 buys
Original Main Event: Jose Aldo (c) vs. Conor McGregor (FW Championship) — Aldo withdrew with rib injury June 30 (12 days out)
Main Event: Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes (short notice) — Interim FW Championship
Result: McGregor def. Mendes — TKO R2, 4:57 — Mendes scored takedowns and elbowed from top; McGregor escaped late in R2 and finished with a combination three seconds from the bell
Co-Main: Lawler def. Rory MacDonald — TKO (punch) R5, 1:00 — WW title; 2015 Fight of the Year; inducted UFC Hall of Fame 2023; MacDonald broken nose + foot; both bloodied
Notable: First Reebok fight-kit event; live musical entrances — Sinéad O’Connor (McGregor) and Aaron Lewis (Mendes)
Bonuses: FOTN: Lawler/MacDonald ($50k each); POTN: McGregor + Almeida ($50k each)
The Build-Up
McGregor had been building toward Aldo for 18 months. He had publicly tested Aldo’s composure across a global World Tour — famously grabbing the champion’s belt at a press stop — and generated more pre-fight attention than any featherweight title fight before it. Aldo’s withdrawal on June 30, during fight week, forced a late change.
Mendes accepted on roughly 12 days’ notice. A two-time title challenger against Aldo, he was an elite wrestler and exactly the style threat McGregor’s critics believed could expose him. The fight was billed around whether McGregor could survive sustained wrestling.
Main Event
Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes — Interim UFC FW Championship
Mendes landed takedowns in round one and worked from top position, dropping short elbows from inside McGregor’s guard, one of which opened a cut by McGregor’s eye. McGregor stayed active from his back but conceded control time.
In round two, Mendes continued to control on the ground but visibly tired. Late in the round he attempted a guillotine; McGregor escaped, stood, and dropped an exhausted Mendes with a straight left and follow-up punches. Herb Dean stopped it at 4:57 of round two — three seconds from the bell.
Conor McGregor won the interim UFC Featherweight Championship, answering the central question of whether he could survive sustained wrestling and still find a finish.
Co-Main Event
Robbie Lawler (c) vs. Rory MacDonald — UFC WW Championship
Lawler and MacDonald had fought once before, at UFC 167 in November 2013, where Lawler won a split decision. The rematch was a different fight at a different level. Both men opened with precise technical work before the bout became a sustained, mutual battle across five rounds.
MacDonald’s nose was broken during the fight and both men bled heavily. MacDonald nearly finished Lawler with a head kick in round three that left the champion hurt for the rest of the round. In round five, Lawler landed a short left hand flush on MacDonald’s already-broken nose. MacDonald covered up and fell. Referee Big John McCarthy stopped the fight at 1:00 of round five.
MacDonald also sustained a broken foot, and Lawler’s lip was badly cut. The bout was named 2015 Fight of the Year by Sherdog, MMA Fighting, and other outlets, and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing in 2023.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Cody Pfister def. Yosdenis Cedeno — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — LW
Cody Garbrandt def. Henry Briones — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — BW; Garbrandt continuing rise (future BW champion)
John Howard def. Cathal Pendred — Decision (Split) — R3 — WW
Louis Smolka def. Neil Seery — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — FLW
Alex Garcia def. Mike Swick — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — WW
Matt Brown def. Tim Means — Sub (guillotine) — R1, 4:44 — WW
Main Card
Thomas Almeida def. Brad Pickett — KO (knee) — R2, 0:29 — BW; POTN ($50k to Almeida)
Gunnar Nelson def. Brandon Thatch — Sub (rear-naked choke) — R2, 2:54 — WW
Jeremy Stephens def. Dennis Bermudez — TKO (flying knee) — R3, 0:32 — FW; Stephens missed weight
Robbie Lawler def. Rory MacDonald — TKO (punch) — R5, 1:00 — WW Championship; FOTN ($50k each); 2015 Fight of the Year; UFC Hall of Fame 2023; MacDonald broken nose + foot; Co-Main
Conor McGregor def. Chad Mendes — TKO (punches) — R2, 4:57 — Interim FW Championship; POTN ($50k); Main Event
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald — $50,000 to each fighter.
Performance of the Night: Conor McGregor + Thomas Almeida — $50,000 each.
Records & Milestones
Conor McGregor — won the interim UFC Featherweight Championship, setting up a unification bout with Jose Aldo that would headline UFC 194 in December 2015.
Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald — widely named 2015 Fight of the Year and inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing in 2023.
UFC 189 was the first UFC event contested in the new Reebok fight-kit uniforms and drew approximately 825,000 pay-per-view buys.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 189 is remembered as one of the greatest single cards in UFC history. McGregor’s win, against a dangerous wrestler on short notice, vaulted him toward the unification bout with Aldo and the superstardom that followed.
The Lawler–MacDonald war stands among the most celebrated fights the sport has produced, and the event’s commercial success helped define the UFC’s 2015 boom. It also marked the debut of the Reebok era of standardised fighter uniforms.
FAQ
Why did Jose Aldo not fight at UFC 189?
Aldo withdrew on June 30, 2015 — about 12 days before the event — citing a rib injury. Chad Mendes stepped in on short notice to face Conor McGregor for the interim featherweight title.
How did McGregor beat Mendes?
Mendes controlled much of the fight with takedowns and ground-and-pound, but tired in the second round. McGregor escaped a late guillotine attempt, stood up, and finished an exhausted Mendes with punches at 4:57 of round two.
Why is Lawler vs. MacDonald so famous?
The welterweight title fight was a five-round war in which both men were badly damaged — MacDonald suffered a broken nose and foot — before Lawler stopped him early in round five. It was named 2015 Fight of the Year and inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.
Was UFC 189 the first Reebok event?
Yes. UFC 189 was the first event at which fighters wore the standardised Reebok fight kits, marking the start of the UFC’s uniform era.
Which fighters won bonuses at UFC 189?
Fight of the Night went to Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald. Performance of the Night bonuses went to Conor McGregor and Thomas Almeida. Each award was worth $50,000.