Aldo: Fight in Brazil Brings Added Dimension, Potential Distractions

Jose Aldo will defend his featherweight championship against Chad Mendes in the UFC 142 main event on Saturday at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 25-year-old Nova Uniao standout has not fought in his homeland since May 2007, and, during a pre-fight teleconference, he admitted fighting Mendes in Brazil adds another dimension to the experience:

“There’s more attention, and it is a great pleasure to defend my title in my home country. It means everything for me to come back fighting in my country as a champion. This is where I started, just with dreams and hopes, and now I am back as a champion. It is a great feeling, but I will try to think about it after the fight. I still have to train hard and win this fight. I found a few things in his game I can exploit. I’ve trained very hard for this fight; I never underestimate any fighter and want to remain as champion.”