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Featherweights

Chad Mendes (15-1, 6-1 UFC) vs. Nik Lentz (24-5-2, 8-2-1 UFC)

The Matchup: Mendes has been a man on a mission since suffering a knockout loss to Jose Aldo in his bid for the featherweight title at UFC 142. Four straight knockout victories have followed for the Team Alpha Male standout, including a third-round stoppage of Clay Guida at UFC 164. Considering that Guida had never been knocked out in 43 prior professional appearances, this was no small feat.

Enter Lentz, who has looked like a new man since dropping from lightweight to featherweight. Lentz is 3-0 at 145 pounds, including dominant victories over Brazilian talents Diego Nunes and Hacran Dias. A relentless diet of clinches, takedowns, ground-and-pound and positional advancement is usually the recipe for success for the man known as “The Carny.”

While Lentz was a talented enough wrestler to earn a Div. I scholarship at the University of Minnesota, Mendes operates at a level above him. “Money” twice earned All-American honors at Cal Poly, including a second-place finish in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. That wrestling has translated well to MMA, as Mendes has yet to be taken down in UFC or WEC competition, while averaging 4.67 takedowns per 15 minutes himself.

Lentz has a two-inch height and reach advantage, but those measurements figure to do him little good since his goal is not to control distance. Lentz is at his best when he can turn a fight into a grinder; despite his gaudy record, a common complaint against the Minnesotan is the lack of excitement he produces in victory. When Lentz has employed a more wide-open style, the results have not been favorable; his loss to Evan Dunham is a prime example. However, when faced with arguably the featherweight division’s best wrestler, Lentz is going to have to land some offense on the feet.

The problem here is Mendes’ fearsome knockout ability. The WEC veteran rarely uses a jab, but his array of power punches -- especially his right hook, which most recently finished Guida -- has been enough to get the job done. In addition to heavy hands, Mendes will also utilize kicks and knees. He puts everything together by transitioning smoothly between striking and takedowns.

The Pick: Lentz’s best chance of winning involves keeping Mendes neutralized in the clinch, but the Californian is too strong to be controlled. Mendes wins by TKO in round two.

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