Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield: UFC 284 Odds, Prediction

Although Crute is coming off a pair of losses and Menifield is coming off a pair of wins, Crute is the one who is favoured to win on the MMA odds.

Is there value with Menifield or do the oddsmakers have this one right?

Jimmy Crute UFC 284

Crute is the No. 12 ranked fighter in the light heavyweight division and is viewed as someone on the rise. This is a bout that he’ll be expected to win – especially since he’s in front of his home fans.

Overall, Crute is the much more well-rounded fighter. He can connect with strikes and has power in his hands, but he can also win on the ground. Crute ‘The Brute’ has 12 wins overall in his career. Five wins are by knockout, four are by submission and three are by decision.

While Crute has dropped two fights in a row, losses to Jamahal Hill and Anthony Smith are nothing to be ashamed of. It’s concerning that both of those losses were by knockout, however, because Crute’s facing pure power in this one, although he has the skill to work around it. He can clip Menifield from distance, he can use his power in close or he can take him down to the ground. Devin Clark worked Menifield pretty easily on the ground, getting him down and grinding out a win with wrestling. Crute should have a similar path to victory.

Overall, the best bet in this bout might be that it doesn’t go to the judges’ scorecards. Crute has a good opportunity to win via submission and if Menifield wins, it’s likely a knockout. Betting this fight to go under or not go the distance is probably the safest play, although a Crute win here seems likely.

Alonzo Menifield UFC 284

Menifield is 13-3 in his MMA career. While that looks good on paper, the reality is the 35-year-old has mixed in a number of good wins with a few disappointing defeats. He’s won four of five with his last two being first-round knockouts victories. However, he was also knocked out by Ovince Saint Preux and has decision losses to Devin Clark and William Knight. When you zoom out, you’ll notice that while he’s 4-1 in his last five, he’s also 4-3 in his last seven. At the age of 35, we’re not quite sure if he’s in the twilight of his career or still in his prime.

One thing that is for sure with Menifield is he has power in his hands as 10 of his 13 wins have come via knockout. If he wins, it likely won’t be via the judges’ scorecards. The concern here is if the fight hits the ground, then he’s likely to take a loss.

Crute vs. Menifield UFC 284 Prediction

Crute via KO/TKO.