For Chad Mendes, the toughest thing about preparing for Jose Aldo and a shot at the Ultimate Fighting Championship's world featherweight title Saturday night may not be the Brazilian's leg whips, fast hands or athleticism.

To Mendes, it was the 14-hour flight to Rio de Janeiro for the main event of UFC 142.

"I don't hate to fly, necessarily, but it's hard to sit still for that long. I hate that part of it," Sacramento's Mendes said. "I went to Rio for some press responsibilities a couple of weeks ago, and everyone else on the plane was sleeping. I couldn't do it. I had to go and shadowbox in the bathroom (to release some energy.)"

After the long flight, Mendes, 26, will have to contend with Aldo's leg kicks, which must have felt like lightning to Urijah Faber when he tried to take Aldo's belt in April 2010. Faber, in front of a raucous partisan crowd at Arco Arena, was dominated by Aldo's leg attacks, and a contusion on Faber's left leg was so bad he was rushed to the hospital.

"Going into the champion's own backyard is exciting, and there's no doubt that (Aldo) is the best fighter in this weight class," Mendes said at a pre-fight news conference. "I've sat down with Urijah, and we have come up with a great plan. When Urijah fought him, we didn't red-flag Aldo's leg kicks, but obviously we have prepared for that in this fight.

"Other fighters have stood there and let him take them apart; I think I will get in there and get my hands on him. No one else he's fought has my level of wrestling, to where I will get him down and keep him down."

Mendes, the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference Wrestler of the Year at Cal Poly, said once he gets inside Aldo's leg-whip range, he will try to blast the Brazilian off his feet, rather than simply go for a takedown.

Because of Mendes' wrestling advantage, Aldo hired former lightweight title challenger Gray Maynard to help improve his wrestling skills. Maynard was a top wrestler at Michigan State and has helped Aldo train for three weeks at the Nova Uniao gym in Rio.

"Both guys are superior athletes," Faber said. "But I don't think Aldo has faced someone with Chad's wrestling ability. Chad is a notch above all fighters in the UFC in terms of his wrestling and his ability to get a takedown pretty much whenever he wants one. No one has put Aldo onto the ground like Chad will, and we'll see how Aldo handles it."

Aldo, who will have the advantage of a partisan crowd at the HSBC Arena in Rio, is fighting in his adopted hometown for the first time in five years.

Mendes said he accepts the underdog role, figuring the pressure will be on Aldo, who also has to deal with ticket requests and demands on his time because the fight is in Rio. In comparison, Mendes brought only former UFC lightweight Justin Buchholz, considered by Faber and Mendes to be Team Alpha Male's best strategist and cornerman.

Mendes said he'll be so focused that the crowd won't get to him. He's been in pressure-packed arenas before, he said, and Rio won't be any different.

"All I think about, the visions I have constantly," Mendes said, "are of (UFC president) Dana White walking up behind me and placing that belt around my waist and hearing the announcer shout 'New UFC featherweight world champion Chad Mendes!' "

UFC 142

• What: Mixed martial arts fight card featuring featherweight champion Jose Aldo vs. challenger Chad Mendes

• When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

• Where: Rio de Janeiro

• How to watch: Pay-per-view, $44.99 for standard definition, $54.99 for HD; for bars that are broadcasting the card, go to ufc.com/event/UFC142

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Mark Billingsley covers mixed martial arts for The Bee. Reach him at editorwriter@att.net.

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