UFC 142 Pre-Fight Press Conference: Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes come face to face

UFC Executive Marshall Zelaznik, alongside Saturday's headliners, were in attendance today at the Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro for the UFC 142 Pre-Fight Press Conference. A Featherweight title clash between division Champion Jose Aldo and challenger Chad Mendes will headline the stacked card, while top Middleweight contender Vitor Belfort welcomes Anthony Johnson to the division in the co-main event. Also featured will be Rousimar Palhares taking on Mike Massenzio, Erick Silva against Carlo Prater, and Edson Barboza meets Terry Etim.

UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights (via MMAMania.com):

Jose Aldo

• Our first battle is the weight so that during the fight everything turns out like you trained for, what you spent three months preparing for.

• A lot has been said about moving up in category but that doesn't really depend on me. There's a lot behind it, a lot involved. When my team thinks it's the right time, that will happen.

• The local shows are excellent for the growth of MMA. In the schools we have great athletes and there is always a chance we can find a new champion, a new Vitor, a new Jose Aldo, a new Anderson.

Chad Mendes

• I'm basically treating this like it's any other fight whether it's in Brazil or the United States. I have tunnel vision. I have that goal of winning the belt and that's all I'm thinking about. I know I'm probably going to get booed but I can't speak Portuguese so I can't understand what they're saying to me anyways.

• I come into every fight knowing that I'm going to win in my hard. Coming into this fight, there isn't any thought that goes through my mind that I might lose. I feel prepared. I know Jose is the champion but I know I'm right there behind him and I'm going to come after it. On Saturday, I'm going to show the world that I'm the best.

Vitor Belfort

• Brazil is very full of fighters. All of them are champions and are very experienced. We have people that fought on the reality show in the US. Especially in the northern region, we're going to produce high quality fighters. Brazil is an exporter of UFC fighters.

• We harvest what we plant. I can only speak for myself but each fighter can talk about the message they want. Some people do things for money and others don't. I live off my principals. I am who I am but other people are different and they try to get attention that way and unfortunately, the press gives attention to what is negative instead of positive. Let's promote what is good and set aside what is bad.

Anthony Johnson

• I worked really hard for this fight. I don't get nervous. I don't get worried about what can happen. I just go out there and do what I do. The one thing that motivated me even more for this fight was Vitor said, "We're gonna see a hungry, hungry lion." A week before my grandfather died, he told me, 'Fight like you're fighting a lion." With Vitor saying that, that made me want to fight even more. I'm hungry too and I'm looking forward to the fight. I can't wait. I definitely can't wait.

• Vitor is a great athlete with very fast hands and very powerful. I'm not afraid, I'm willing to accept the challenge. My strategy is to fight. As far as strategy, it's called, "get it done."

Further Reading: UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes, Johnson vs. Belfort Open Workouts