A new champion
Sometimes timing and circumstance don’t work out, a storm comes in and messes with your dough recipe. Some fighters would probably be champions if it was not for the actual champion. A perpetual number two, or a rising contender everyone is going to count out. Upsets do happen, but odds exist for a reason. Chad Mendes can beat any featherweight not named Jose Aldo. I’m calling it now, he can beat Conor McGregor, Max Halloway, even Frankie Edgar. His striking is improving fast and his power is not going anywhere. He knew Ricardo Lamas had the speed advantage and did not try to win that battle, just patiently waited until the right time to turn it on and land that one big punch. He can do the same against Conor or anyone else. Julianna Pena looked good in her first fight back against Milana Dudieva. She looked big and strong for that division. Pena looks like she could fight at 145. Her ground and pound was relentless, but nothing looked good enough to beat Ronda Rousey. Even if she wins her next few and beats some big names, unless she shows an exponential growth in her Judo defense, Rhonda wins virtually every time. Mirko Cro Cop could have been the most feared man on the planet if it was not for the last emperor Fedor Emelianenko
