UFC 142
UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 14, 2012, at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, featuring a featherweight title bout between champion José Aldo and challenger Chad Mendes as the main event.[1] In the main event, Aldo retained his UFC Featherweight Championship via knockout (knee and punches) at 4:20 of the first round against the undefeated Mendes, marking one of the most emphatic finishes in title fight history and solidifying Aldo's dominance in the division.[2] The co-main event saw former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort submit Anthony Johnson via rear-naked choke at 4:49 of the first round in a middleweight bout, where Johnson weighed in at 197 pounds, exceeding the limit and forfeiting 20% of his purse.[3] Other notable bouts included Rousimar Palhares' quick heel hook submission victory over Mike Massenzio at 1:03 of the first round, Edson Barboza's third-round knockout of Terry Etim earning both Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night honors, and a controversial 29-second disqualification win for Carlo Prater over Erick Silva due to illegal strikes to the back of the head.[4] The event drew an attendance of 10,605 and generated approximately 235,000 pay-per-view buys, highlighting Brazilian talent on home soil with multiple performance bonuses awarded at $65,000 each to Palhares for Submission of the Night and Barboza for his dual accolades.[5]Event Information
Date and Venue
UFC 142 was held on January 14, 2012, serving as the promotion's first pay-per-view event of the year.[6] The event took place at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a multi-purpose indoor venue with a capacity of approximately 15,000 for sporting events.[7][8] Now known as the Farmasi Arena, the facility is located in the Barra da Tijuca neighborhood and marked the UFC's second major event in the city following UFC 134 six months earlier.[9] Rio de Janeiro stands as a central hub for Brazilian mixed martial arts, renowned for its deep roots in disciplines like Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the production of world-class fighters, which infused UFC 142 with strong national pride for the home-country athletes competing on the card.[9][10]Broadcast and Attendance
UFC 142's main card was available on pay-per-view in North America, starting at 10 p.m. ET, while the preliminary card aired on FX beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with two opening bouts streamed live on Facebook.[11] In Brazil, the event achieved significant viewership, attracting 23 million viewers on local television, underscoring the promotion's growing popularity in the host country.[12] International distribution was handled through regional broadcast partners, including Sportsnet in Canada for prelims. The pay-per-view event generated 235,000 buys, a respectable figure for a numbered event held outside the United States, reflecting strong interest in the featherweight title clash despite the international location.[4] The event drew an attendance of 10,605 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, with gate revenue not publicly disclosed in official reports.[5] Production featured English-language commentary from Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.Background
Announcement and Promotion
UFC 142 was officially announced on November 1, 2011, with the confirmation of the main event featuring featherweight champion José Aldo defending his title against undefeated challenger Chad Mendes, scheduled for January 14, 2012, at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[13] The event was positioned as the UFC's opening pay-per-view of 2012, capitalizing on the momentum from the highly successful UFC 134 in Rio just five months earlier.[14] Promotional themes centered on showcasing Brazilian talent and national pride, with Aldo's title defense highlighted as a marquee opportunity for the champion to perform in front of his home crowd, contrasted against the American Mendes to build an international rivalry narrative.[15] Additional storylines emphasized the return of Brazilian stars like Vitor Belfort, framing the card as a celebration of MMA's growing roots in Brazil while pitting local heroes against global challengers.[14] Marketing efforts included the release of official event posters on December 3, 2011, featuring prominent imagery of Aldo and Mendes to generate visual hype.[16] Promotional trailers, such as the extended preview video uploaded to UFC.com in late December 2011 and the "Countdown to UFC 142" episode airing on Fuel TV on January 10, 2012, provided in-depth fighter profiles and buildup footage. Press conferences were held in Rio de Janeiro, including a pre-fight event at the Copacabana Palace Hotel on January 12, 2012, attended by key fighters and UFC executives to engage local press.[17] Tie-ins with Brazilian media amplified reach, leveraging the country's enthusiasm for MMA, where UFC content dominated social platforms like Facebook throughout 2011.[18] The overall narrative underscored the UFC's strategic push to establish Brazil as a cornerstone international market, building directly on the record-breaking attendance and viewership of UFC 134 to foster long-term fan loyalty and expand the promotion's global footprint.[19]Fight Card Development
The development of the UFC 142 fight card began with the announcement of the main event on November 1, 2011, pitting featherweight champion José Aldo against top contender Chad Mendes for the title.[20] This matchup was positioned as a high-stakes defense for Aldo in his home country of Brazil. Shortly before, on November 1, 2011, the co-main event was revealed as Vitor Belfort facing middleweight opponent Anthony Johnson, marking Belfort's return to the division in front of a domestic audience.[21] Undercard bouts were progressively added over the ensuing weeks to build out the lineup, adhering to standard UFC weight class regulations across divisions. For instance, the middleweight clash between Rousimar Palhares and Mike Massenzio was confirmed on November 16, 2011, enhancing the Brazilian flavor of the event.[22] Other preliminary fights, such as Erick Silva vs. Siyar Bahadurzada and Fabio Maldonado vs. Stanislav Nedkov, were announced around the same period to round out the card.[23] Significant adjustments occurred in late December 2011 due to injuries and visa complications, reshaping several preliminary bouts while preserving the main and co-main events. On December 16, 2011, welterweight Siyar Bahadurzada withdrew from his fight against Erick Silva citing injury, with Carlo Prater stepping in as replacement.[24] That same day, heavyweight Rob Broughton pulled out of his matchup with Ednaldo Oliveira due to an undisclosed injury, prompting Gabriel Gonzaga to replace him.[25] Also on December 16, Stanislav Nedkov was scratched from his middleweight bout with Fabio Maldonado over visa issues preventing travel to Brazil, and newcomer Caio Magalhães was named as his substitute on December 19.[26] Additionally, Paulo Thiago exited his welterweight contest against Mike Pyle because of an elbow injury, leading to Ricardo Funch being tapped as the late replacement.[27] On January 8, 2012, Fabio Maldonado withdrew due to injury, resulting in the cancellation of his bout with Caio Magalhães and finalizing the card at 10 fights.[28] One notable deviation from standard weight class protocols arose in the co-main event, where Anthony Johnson weighed in at 197 pounds—11 pounds over the middleweight limit—resulting in a catchweight agreement with Vitor Belfort on January 13, 2012.[29]Fight Card
Main Card
The main card of UFC 142 consisted of five high-profile bouts, designed to showcase a mix of title implications, stylistic contrasts, and local appeal for the event held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Headlining the pay-per-view was the featherweight championship clash between defending champion José Aldo and undefeated contender Chad Mendes. In the co-main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort faced Anthony Johnson at catchweight (after Johnson missed the middleweight limit at 197 pounds, with the fight proceeding under an agreement allowing up to 205 pounds on fight day, where he weighed 204.2 pounds).[30] Rounding out the card were a middleweight matchup between submission specialist Rousimar Palhares and Mike Massenzio, a welterweight bout pitting Brazilian prospect Erick Silva against Carlo Prater, and a lightweight encounter between striking phenom Edson Barboza and grappling expert Terry Etim.[31][32] These fights were selected for their potential to drive viewer interest through significant stakes and compelling dynamics. The Aldo-Mendes title defense was positioned as a marquee attraction, pitting the Brazilian champion's elite striking against Mendes' dominant wrestling background, while capitalizing on Aldo's homecoming in Brazil to amplify national excitement. Veteran Brazilian fighters like Belfort and Palhares were paired with international prospects such as Johnson and Massenzio to highlight experience versus emerging talent, fostering narratives of resurgence and potential upsets. Additionally, the inclusion of undefeated Brazilian Erick Silva and knockout artist Edson Barboza underscored the event's emphasis on showcasing homegrown talent, aligning with UFC's strategy to build regional star power in South America.[33][34] At the official weigh-ins, all fighters met their contracted weights except for Anthony Johnson, who came in at 197 pounds—12 pounds over the middleweight limit—for his bout with Vitor Belfort, resulting in a catchweight agreement and a portion of Johnson's purse being withheld as a fine.[30][35]Preliminary Card
The preliminary card for UFC 142 featured five bouts across multiple weight classes, showcasing a mix of established veterans and rising prospects to open the event held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These fights highlighted the promotion's strategy to incorporate local Brazilian talent alongside international competitors, providing divisional balance while building excitement for the main card.[31][34] The bouts included:| Weight Class | Fighters |
|---|---|
| Lightweight | Thiago Tavares vs. Sam Stout |
| Heavyweight | Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Ednaldo Oliveira |
| Featherweight | Iuri Alcântara vs. Michihiro Omigawa |
| Welterweight | Mike Pyle vs. Ricardo Funch |
| Featherweight | Felipe Arantes vs. Antonio Carvalho |
Results
Main Card Results
The main card of UFC 142, held on January 14, 2012, at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, featured five bouts broadcast on pay-per-view, culminating in a featherweight title defense.[31] In the main event, featherweight champion José Aldo defended his title against Chad Mendes. Aldo secured the victory via knockout (knee and punches) at 4:59 of the first round.[39][31][40] The co-main event saw Vitor Belfort face Anthony "Rumble" Johnson in a middleweight bout. Belfort won by submission using a rear-naked choke at 4:49 of the first round.[41][31] Rousimar Palhares took on Mike Massenzio in another middleweight matchup. Palhares submitted Massenzio with a heel hook at 1:03 into the first round.[31] In the welterweight bout, Erick Silva was disqualified for delivering illegal punches to the back of the head, awarding the win to Carlo Prater at 0:29 of the first round.[31] The lightweight opener on the main card pitted Edson Barboza against Terry Etim. Barboza knocked out Etim with a wheel kick at 2:02 of the third round.[31]Preliminary Card Results
The preliminary card for UFC 142 featured five bouts broadcast on FX, setting an energetic tone for the event with a combination of grappling victories, striking stoppages, and competitive decisions.[31]| Weight Class | Winner | Opponent | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Thiago Tavares | Sam Stout | Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Heavyweight | Gabriel Gonzaga | Ednaldo Oliveira | Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) | 1 | 3:22 |
| Featherweight | Iuri Alcântara | Michihiro Omigawa | Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Welterweight | Mike Pyle | Ricardo Funch | TKO (Knee and Punches) | 1 | 1:22 |
| Featherweight | Felipe Arantes | Antonio Carvalho | Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) | 3 | 5:00 |