UFC 142 Fight Card Breakdowns: Aldo Vs. Mendes, Belfort Vs. Johnson, Palhares Vs. Massenzio, More

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (20-1, 10-0 UFC/WEC) defends his belt against challenger Chad Mendes (11-0, 7-0 UFC/WEC) at UFC 142 tonight at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At 25 years old, Aldo is one of the most dominant 145lb fighters in MMA history. Mendes, 26, is the undefeated challenger.

Aldo defeated Mike Brown to take the WEC belt in 2009 and fended off a challenge from Mendes' coach and training partner Urijah Faber in 2010. The WEC was absorbed into the UFC in 2010 and the whole division moved to the Octagon.

Aldo is a brilliant Muay Thai kickboxer with an uncanny ability to defend against take downs. His opponents have only been successful on 6% of their attempts to take Aldo down in the UFC/WEC. Aldo is known for his flying knees and knock out punches. Aldo is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and won a world championship at the brown belt level before moving on to mixed martial arts competition.

Mendes is an exceptional wrestler who wins fights by getting the take down and controlling position. If he can impose his game on the explosive and dangerous Aldo for three out of five rounds without getting KO'd or submitted, the win is his for the taking.

Look for Aldo to take this one.

Middleweights Vitor Belfort (20-9, 9-5 UFC) and Anthony Johnson (10-3, 7-3 UFC) meet in the co-main event of UFC 142 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Johnson came into yesterday's weigh-ins unable to make the 185lb middleweight limit. He weighed in at 197lbs and has to weigh in at less than 205lbs tonight or the fight will be cancelled.

Former light heavyweight champ Belfort made his UFC debut in 1997 at the age of 19. He's 34 now and he's basically the same-old Vitor: capable of throwing chains of straight punches with great power but with a tendency to wilt if the fight doesn't go his way.

Johnson, a former welterweight who consistently struggled to make the 170lb limit, is a skilled former collegiate wrestler who brings a considerable amount of power in his punches and kicks along with the take downs.

Johnson's camp claims he failed to make weight due to medical issues that arose as he tried to cut the final few pounds. Fluid pumped into his body before he weighed in is presumed to account for most of the weight in excess of the limit.

Johnson will have a considerable size advantage but it remains to be seen how effected he will be by the aftereffects of the failed weight cut.

Check out our complete archive for all the news and notes related to the UFC 142 fight between Vitor Belfort and Anthony Johnson that takes place later this evening.

Middleweights Rousimar Palhares (13-3, 6-2 UFC) and Mike Massenzio (13-5, 2-3 UFC) meet on the pay-per-view portion of tonight's UFC 142 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Palhares has carved out a reputation for himself as one of the most-feared and least predictable fighters in the UFC. He's feared because of his immense physical strength and his skill and ferocity in applying leg locks. He's also notorious for not releasing those leg locks quickly, even as his opponents scream in pain and ligaments and tendons pop.

He's also known for losing focus in the cage. Against Nate Marquardt he decided to stop fighting mid-fight and start complaining about Marquardt being slippery. Unfortunately for Rousimar, Marquardt took advantage of his inattention to score a brutal KO. Against Dan Miller in his last UFC bout, Palhares decided he'd won the fight and jumped onto the cage to celebrate. Unfortunately the ref hadn't stopped the fight.

Against the journeyman Massenzio, Palhares will need to concentrate to get the win. But if Rousimar is focused, Massenzio will be in trouble.

Check out our complete archive for all the news and notes related to the UFC 142 fight between Rousimar Palhares and Mike Massenzio that takes place later this evening.

Lightweights Edson Barboza (9-0, 3-0 UFC) and Terry Etim (15-3, 6-3 UFC) meet on the pay-per-view portion of UFC 142 tonight at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is a highly anticipated match between two young fighters who are on the verge of contention.

Barboza, a veteran Muay Thai kickboxer with over 25 pro kickboxing bouts, has won Fight of the Night awards in his last two outings. He's an exciting fighter with a crowd pleasing style heavy on the spinning attacks and painful leg kicks.

Etim, a rangy Liverpudlian who's won 5 of his last 6 fights, will be looking to force the fight to the ground where his grappling skills can make a difference. He's got 12 submission wins and a truly nasty guillotine choke that might be his best chance to beat Barboza.

Personally as much as I regard Etim as a real talent, I think he'll have a hard time forcing the fight to the ground and Barboza's striking will just be too much for him on the feet.

Check out our complete archive for all the news and notes related to the UFC 142 fight between Edson Barboza and Terry Etim that takes place later this evening.