Chad Mendes was hoping a win over 2nd-ranked UFC featherweight, Frankie Edgar, would catapult him back into 145-pound title contention. That opportunity is going to have to wait a little while longer
The Team Alpha Male veteran was knocked out by "The Answer" at 2:28 of the very first round in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Finale in Las Vegas on Friday night.
"Money" seemed to be controlling the early portion of the fight, landing numerous leg kicks on Edgar. But towards the halfway point of the first round, Edgar, the former UFC lightweight champion, landed a left hook on the nose that floored Mendes. Edgar planted one more punch on the ground and referee John McCarthy called a halt to the fight.
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The loss drops Mendes to 17-4. It's his third loss in his last four fights. Meanwhile, the victory is the fifth in a row for the 34-year-old Edgar. He is expected to take on the winner of Saturday's featherweight unification title bout between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor.