The WEC has added one of the top featherweight prospects in the sport to its roster, as the Zuffa-owned promotion recently signed highly touted, undefeated Chad Mendes to a six-fight contract.

News of Mendes' signing with the WEC was first reported by Sherdog.com. According to the report, Mendes is expected to make his WEC debut in the first quarter of 2009. However, being part of the WEC 46 fight card on Jan. 10, considering his training partner, Urijah Faber, is co-headlining the bout against Raphael Assuncao, would also make sense.

Mendes joins Tyler Toner and Brandon Visher as other prospects that were recently signed by the WEC. Toner and Visher have been matched up for WEC 45 in December, however, Mendes will be heading into perhaps the WEC's deepest division, competing with such top featherweights as Jose Aldo, Wagnney Fabiano, Leonard Garcia and Mendes' own training partner, Urijah Faber. Mike Brown is the current WEC featherweight champion.

Mendes comes from a strong wrestling pedigree as he is a two-time All-American wrestler at California Polytechnic State University and was a 2008 NCAA Division I wrestling runner-up in the 141-pound weight division.

Mendes most recently defeated Mike Joy at Tachi Palace Fights 1 on Oct. 8. The Team Alpha Male fighter has put together a 5-0 MMA record since turning pro in Sept. 2008, with four of those wins coming in 2009. He won all five of his bouts for for Palace Fighting Championship and the aforementioned Tachi Palace Fights. Mendes has scored stoppage wins in three of his five career victories.