Mendes favored over McGregor if needed to replace Aldo

Conor "Notorious" McGregor's rise to UFC supremacy could climax July 11 should he defeat reigning UFC featherweight champion Jose "Scarface" Aldo - or Chad "Money" Mendes, who would replace the Brazilian if he is unfit for battle.

Notorious decimates opponents, and his unrelenting temper, scandalous demeanor, and masterful mixed martial arts expertise is a fight promoter's dream.

The broad consensus is that he's one of the best featherweight fighters presently, and could snatch the division title from Aldo - or shelter it from Mendes - and defend it for a long time.

Or maybe that's just what those outside the realm of sports betting think.

MMAoddsbreaker, on the other hand, tabs Mendes as the favorite to win a match against the SBG Ireland team member. The mixed martial arts betting website, run by professional oddsmaker Nick Kalikas and Miguel Iturrate, has Money as a -130 favorite to win, mainly because of the stylistic matchup between the two fighters.

"If Chad Mendes does indeed replace Jose Aldo for an interim UFC featherweight title fight, it's a drastic stylistic change for McGregor to deal with," Kalikas told ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

McGregor is a volatile striker, preferring to finish fights with kicks, fists, and elbows. Mendes, a Team Alpha member, is a former NCAA All-American wrestler who lives for grappling, takedowns, and oppressing fighters on the mat.

Despite height and reach discrepancies that favor the Irish fighter, Kalikas and Iturrate feel Mendes' superb wrestling would overcome McGregor's finishing ability by suppressing his stand-up.

During a training session last week, Aldo suffered a rib injury, and reports continue to contradict one another leading up to the fight. For now, it's believed that the Brazilian will face McGregor as planned.

MMAoddsbreaker slants the 26-year-old McGregor as a -145 favorite in a fight against Aldo, who's also a supreme striker.

It will all unfold at UFC 189 in Las Vegas on July 11, with one fighter - but potentially many bettors - coming out on top.