(This story appears in today’s edition of USA TODAY .) As far as champion Jose Aldo is concerned, the pecking order in the UFC’s featherweight division has now been clearly established. “I think the court is complete,” Aldo said after successfully defending his title in a rematch with top contender Chad Mendes at UFC 179 in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night. “I’m the king, Chad’s the prince, and now we have a joker.” That last jab was a not-so subtle reference to Conor McGregor , the would-be featherweight contender who’s made as much of an impact with his mouth as with his fists in his short time with the UFC. But if Aldo thinks his underlings will be content to accept their assigned positions at court without protest, he’s in for a surprise. The good news is, the coming upheaval is likely to make for an entertaining game of musical chairs as the UFC’s 145-pound class threatens to become the most competitive and compelling division in the organization. Things are only going to heat up in November as four different top-10 featherweights square off on two separate fight cards to whittle the field of challengers down to a more manageable sum.
Originally posted here:
After UFC 179, featherweight division includes king, prince and joker – MMA Junkie