A hard-hitting scrap between Jimmy Crute and Alonzo Menifield tonight at UFC 284 ended in a majority draw ruling.
Round One:
Menifield looking for counter hooks here as Crute attacks, and he’s making some connections.
Crute throws a punch to disguise a takedown attempt and lands it. Menifield looking to stand close to the cage, but remains on one knee for now.
Menifield forces his way back up, but gets dumped right back down again. Crute looking to set up an arm triangle, but Menifield gets free from that and soon after scrambles up.
Crute still pushing for another takedown though and not long afterwards a nice trip aids him in doing just that.
Menifield back up and Crute has him in a deep guillotine choke. He drops back with it to the canvas, but Menifield frees his head and is now on top. He’s looking to land punches now and Crute battles back to his feet.
Crute looking to trade blows here and Menifield is happy to oblige. Both men have expended a lot of energy in this opening round and for now it seems like Menifield is wearing it better as he lands strikes and hurts Crute then gets on top as his opponent stumbles off a kick attempt.
Menifield lands blows and Crute is able to stand. Final seconds of the round and Menifield tees off and lands big, crumpling Crute to the mat. However, just when the fight looked on the verge of being stopped Crute regains his senses enough to grab onto Menifield’s legs and survives to the bell.
Round Two:
Menifield drops a very tired looking Crute. He’s on top in the center of the Octagon now as Crute is turtled up. He manages to shuffle over to the cage. Menifield thinks about a choke, but slips off that immediately.
Crute stands up and Menifield lands a punch and Crute feeds him a knee. Now they break apart. Menifield lands a punch. Crute looking very tired here, but there’s no quit in him.
Crute trying to mount some offense, but then Menifield returns the favor with more power, landing several heavy straight punches down the pipe that Crute fails to defend as he moves backwards.
Crute is able to clinch up though and get a bit of a breather, then lands a takedown. He’s partially on Menifield’s back parallel to the cage and then goes for a rear-naked choke, but Menifield fights it off.
Crute going for the choke again with not long remaining in the round, but Menifield gives the ref a thumbs up and rides it out until the bell.
Round Three:
Both men trading punches here, but without the power they showed in the first round. Crute avoids a punch and goes for a takedown. Menifield blatantly grabs the cage to stop the takedown and the ref spots it and stops the action for a moment to deduct a point from Menifield.
The fight then continues from the same position with Crute working hard for a takedown attempt, but Menifield is defending for now.
Crute works for the single leg and drives across the Octagon to land it. Now in the center of the Octagon he’s trying to get mount, but settles for half-guard.
Crute patient then picks his moment to move into mount. Menifield does well to get him back to half-guard though. Crute soon back to mount though, but then ends up in side control and starts thinking about a submission.
Menifield defending and scrambles to his knees. A few right hands to the head from Crute. Menifield trying to muster the energy to attempt to stand, but before he can do so Crute tries to get his hooks in. He’s not quite able to though and Menifield does then stand.
Crute clinched up and presses him into the cage for the final few seconds of the fight. We’re headed to the scorecards.
Decision:
All credit to Crute for digging deep after being badly hurt late in the first round and early in the second too, managing to fight through his exhaustion to land important takedowns and get back into the fight.
Meanwhile, a cage grab from Menifield early in the final five minutes cost him a point and a big bearing on the outcome, with one judge seeing the fight in Crute’s favor and the other’s seeing it even, leading to a majority draw verdict (29-27, 28-28 x2).
