Jimmy Crute vs Alonzo Menifield Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for UFC 284 (Crute's Ground Game Makes a Difference)

Crute vs Menifield Fight Info, Date & Time

UFC 284 — Main Card Light Heavyweight Bout
Jimmy Crute (12-3-0, 5 KOs) vs. Alonzo Menifield (13-3-0, 10 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 12, 2023
Fight Time: This will be one of the final fights on the main card, which begins at 10 p.m. ET.
Venue: RAC Arena — Perth, Australia
Coverage: ESPN+, PPV

Crute vs Menifield Odds & Prop Bets

All UFC 284 odds, lines and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline:
- Jimmy Crute: (-230)
- Alonzo Menifield: (+176)

Method of Victory:
- Crute by KO/TKO: (N/A)
- Crute by Points: (N/A)
- Crute by Submission: (N/A)
- Menifield by KO/TKO: (N/A)
- Menifield by Points: (N/A)
- Menifield by Submission: (N/A)

Crute vs Menifield Prediction

Jimmy Crute enters this fight with a 12-3-0 professional record and all three of those losses have come within his last five fights. The 26-year-old couldn't keep up with current champ Jamahal Hill back in December of 2021, but gets a perfect opportunity to put his name back on the map here.

Crute's opponent is Alonzo Menifield, a 35-year-old fighter that relies on his fist to get the job done more often than not. Ten of Menifield's 13 professional wins have come via knockout. It's worth noting that the Dallas native's strike accuracy and defense marks check in at similar rates to Crute's, though.

This bout is going to come down to one fighter finding an unexpected edge. I like Crute's grappling abilities to shine against a foe not known for his takedown abilities. Crute averages 4.87 takedowns per 15 minutes and his accuracy mark stands at 75%. Menifield may be forced to make adjustments.

I'll side with Jimmy Crute to come out on top.

Crute vs Menifield Best Bet

Backing Crute to win by submission is an intriguing option here, but I find myself focusing on how long the fight will last. Nine of Crute's 12 professional bouts have not gone the distance, which can also be said about 13 of Menifield's 16 professional bouts. I expect more of the same on Saturday.

If Menifield is going to pull off the upset here, he is going to have to land a few strikes early on and capitalize on them. Meanwhile, Crute knows that making Menifield uncomfortable with by going to the ground could lead to a quick fight, too. Those strategies point to a bout that will not go the distance.

Bet: Fight to Not Go the Distance (TBD)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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