Hanford’s Chad Mendes to fight for UFC title

Hanford’s Chad Mendes has received a shot at the interim 145-pound championship at the upcoming UFC 189.

Mendes on Tuesday was named the replacement for Jose Aldo in the July 11 bout against Conor McGregor at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Aldo, the reigning champ, withdrew from the match because of a rib injury suffered while sparring last week.

Mendes (17-2-0) was considered the next top challenger for the belt, coming off a first-round TKO victory against Richardo Lamas on April 4. In fact, Mendes’ only losses have come against Aldo, including a five-round defeat for the championship at UFC 179 in October.

McGregor (17-2-0) is working on a nearly five-year run since he lost a bout, winning 13 straight.

One Las Vegas online site had Mendes listed as a plus-110 underdog.

This story was originally published July 1, 2015 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Hanford’s Chad Mendes to fight for UFC title."