Edgar, Mendes to meet in Las Vegas on Dec. 11
Top UFC featherweight contenders Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes will meet in the main event of “The Ultimate Fighter” season 22 Finale card on Dec. 11 in Las Vegas, sources close to the organization confirmed Wednesday.
The fight is scheduled for the night before featherweight champion Jose Aldo will take on interim champ Conor McGregor in a unification bout in the main event of UFC 194 at MGM Grand. No venue has been announced for the “TUF” Finale event.
Mendes filled in for Aldo on July 11, losing an interim title bout to McGregor at MGM Grand after taking the fight on just two weeks’ notice.
Edgar, the former lightweight champion, has won four straight fights since losing to Aldo for the title in February 2013. Mendes was unsuccessful in two attempts against Aldo.
The winner of the fight will almost assuredly be next in line to face the winner of the title bout. Edgar and Mendes would also be on schedule in their training camps for a five-round fight to step in should either Aldo or McGregor get injured during training.
The Dec. 11 event will also feature a lightweight bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson and the season title bout for the reality show, which filmed in Las Vegas and will air on Fox Sports 1 (Cable 329), beginning on Sept. 9.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.