The last time Chad Mendes set foot in the Octagon, Jose Aldo was the UFC’s featherweight champ. It’s been that long.
The Team Alpha Male product hasn’t competed since suffering a resounding first-round knockout loss to Frankie Edgar at “The Ultimate Fighter 22” finale on Dec. 11, 2015 — one day before Aldo was knocked out by Conor McGregor in 13 seconds to relinquish his long-held 145-pound throne.
Approximately six months later, Mendes was suspended for two years by USADA after testing positive for GHRP-6 (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hexapeptide) in an out-of-competition urine screening.