With both men so evenly matched, will speed or power be the deciding factor?

UFC 194 is just around the corner and it’s shaping up to be not only one of the biggest cards of the year, but the biggest in UFC history. The main event has got people talking and wondering which featherweight champion will come out on top: Jose Aldo or Conor McGregor. But it’s not the only exciting featherweight fight that’s being showcased this weekend. December 11th at the Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale, two perennial contenders will lock horns to see who the next contender for UFC gold will be. Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes are two fighters that have often been compared to each other. They are both wrestling based boxers with high level credentials. Both have competed against Jose Aldo and come up short in competitive contests. Now the two featherweight standouts are set to do battle the day before the UFC championship picture will be decided. With both fighters at the top of their game it’s all a matter of whose skill and strategies will prevail. For my money there hasn’t been a mixed martial artist that has mixed in their game as well as Frankie Edgar has in the last few years. With fast hands, great chain wrestling abilities, and a gas tank that never seems to run low, Edgar has confounded many of his opponents in the past and will look to use those skills against Chad Mendes. On the other side of the argument Mendes has flourished thanks to the training he received under Duane Ludwig and has emerged as a terrifying power puncher. He’s been adept as using fakes and feints before transitioning to punching combinations. His kicking game has also seemed to improve since training with Ludwig. But with Ludwig no longer handling coaching duties at team Alpha Male, Mendes’ fight team, you have to wonder if these advances in his stand up skills will actually make a difference against Edgar. In terms of what to look out for in this match, I believe it all comes down to how active Mendes can be against Edgar. With constant movement and hand combinations, Frankie Edgar has proven to be a tall task for any fighter in the 145 and 155 lbs divisions. The biggest weakness to Edgar’s game however is the fact that often times huge chunks of time can pass before Frankie actually decides to stop feinting and start attacking which got him into trouble against both Jose Aldo and Benson Henderson. Frank needs to ensure that he focuses on attacking early and often to at least get Mendes thinking. On the other hand, Mendes will need to be sure that he’s constantly mixing up his game, throwing a variety of strikes including the leg kick as well as transitioning from punching combinations to wrestling. In the end this is really a pick ’em fight with both combatants talented in virtually all of the same areas. Frankie Edgar may be better at chaining his wrestling attacks together, but I believe that Chad Mendes has the strength and the power to keep his opponent a bit more hesitant than usual. I think Mendes wins a decision in a back and forth contest. Who do you think will win at the Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter.