Alonzo Menifield
USA
Survives war with Iwo Baraniewski
Menifield defeated Iwo Baraniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) at UFC 331 on Saturday in Los Angeles.
ANALYSIS
There's a case to be made that both guys deserved to win. Regardless of who you had, the fact Menifield was even in position to potentially claim victory was remarkable considering he was working with a mangled thumb, one that likely should have resulted in the doctors stopping the fight. Yet, they didn't, and Alonzo kept coming. He got stronger as the bout progressed, while Baraniewski -- fighting outside Round 1 for the first time in his pro career -- faded. Menifield will be 39 years old in a month, so age is certainly working against him, but he's now pulled back-to-back upset in the span of the less than four months. He's now sporting a 4-1 mark in his past five fights.
There's a case to be made that both guys deserved to win. Regardless of who you had, the fact Menifield was even in position to potentially claim victory was remarkable considering he was working with a mangled thumb, one that likely should have resulted in the doctors stopping the fight. Yet, they didn't, and Alonzo kept coming. He got stronger as the bout progressed, while Baraniewski -- fighting outside Round 1 for the first time in his pro career -- faded. Menifield will be 39 years old in a month, so age is certainly working against him, but he's now pulled back-to-back upset in the span of the less than four months. He's now sporting a 4-1 mark in his past five fights.
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Will take on Baraniewski
Menifield will face Iwo Baraniewski in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 331 on Sep. 13, Marcel Dorff of Heavy on Sports reports.
ANALYSIS
Despite being past his prime at 38 years old, Menifield has won three of his last four fights and is coming off a huge TKO win over Zhang Mingyang in his last fight May 30. It's unclear just how much Menifield has left in the tank, but his power is real, and he'll look to extend his positive run of results while trying to win back-to-back fights for the first time since last year.
Despite being past his prime at 38 years old, Menifield has won three of his last four fights and is coming off a huge TKO win over Zhang Mingyang in his last fight May 30. It's unclear just how much Menifield has left in the tank, but his power is real, and he'll look to extend his positive run of results while trying to win back-to-back fights for the first time since last year.
Pulls upset of Zhang Mingyang
Menifield defeated Zhang Mingyang via TKO (Punches) at 4:15 of Round 1 at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Macau, China.
ANALYSIS
Fresh off an 87-second knockout loss to Volkan Oezdemir in November, Menifield picked a great time for his power to suddenly return. Without a knockout win dating back to October 2022, Alonzo connected with one huge combo and some follow-up shots which forced referee Marc Goddard to pull the plug. Given what we've seen from Menifield in recent years, it sure feels as if Zhang's lack of durability was the major reason this happened, but the 38-year-old Dallas native could care less. Alonzo has quietly won three of four dating back to February 2025. This time, he'll walk away with a $100,000 bonus after the quick brawl was awarded Fight of the Night honors.
Fresh off an 87-second knockout loss to Volkan Oezdemir in November, Menifield picked a great time for his power to suddenly return. Without a knockout win dating back to October 2022, Alonzo connected with one huge combo and some follow-up shots which forced referee Marc Goddard to pull the plug. Given what we've seen from Menifield in recent years, it sure feels as if Zhang's lack of durability was the major reason this happened, but the 38-year-old Dallas native could care less. Alonzo has quietly won three of four dating back to February 2025. This time, he'll walk away with a $100,000 bonus after the quick brawl was awarded Fight of the Night honors.
Quickly erased by Oezdemir
Menifield lost to Volkan Oezdemir via KO (knee and punches) at 1:27 of Round 1 at UFC Qatar on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
Typically a kill-or-be-killed fighter, Menifield had actually won two consecutive fights via decision leading up to Saturday's bout. He got a step up in competition against Oezdemir, and while his aggression paid off early with a big left hand, Oezdemir weathered the storm and eventually found a home for a big knee. Moments later, Menifield was getting finished along the fence. Menifield is essentially roster depth in a shallow 205-pound division. Expect him to hover around the .500 mark moving forward.
Typically a kill-or-be-killed fighter, Menifield had actually won two consecutive fights via decision leading up to Saturday's bout. He got a step up in competition against Oezdemir, and while his aggression paid off early with a big left hand, Oezdemir weathered the storm and eventually found a home for a big knee. Moments later, Menifield was getting finished along the fence. Menifield is essentially roster depth in a shallow 205-pound division. Expect him to hover around the .500 mark moving forward.
Booked vs. Oezdemir
Menifield will take on Volkan Oezdemir in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Qatar on Nov. 22, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Menifield has won two straight and will look to make it three in a row in Qatar, which would be the longest winning streak of his UFC career -- though the fighter did have a five-fight stretch of four wins sandwiched around a draw from 2022-2023. His opponent, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from a loss to Carlos Ulberg in a bout that took place almost exactly a year ago to the date Menifield and Oezdemir will do battle.
Menifield has won two straight and will look to make it three in a row in Qatar, which would be the longest winning streak of his UFC career -- though the fighter did have a five-fight stretch of four wins sandwiched around a draw from 2022-2023. His opponent, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from a loss to Carlos Ulberg in a bout that took place almost exactly a year ago to the date Menifield and Oezdemir will do battle.
Pulls upset of Oumar Sy
Menifield defeated Oumar Sy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Atlanta.
ANALYSIS
Neither man was impressive this evening, but Menifield did enough to win, and he did so as a +500 underdog. Alonzo won most of the striking exchanges between the two, although the damaging blows on both sides were few and far between. Sy controlled Round 2 on the strength of his grappling, but he did Menifield a massive favorite by not wrestling in either the first or final frame, and Alonzo pulled the upset as a result. The 37-year-old Texan has won back-to-back fights to follow up a brief two-fight losing streak.
Neither man was impressive this evening, but Menifield did enough to win, and he did so as a +500 underdog. Alonzo won most of the striking exchanges between the two, although the damaging blows on both sides were few and far between. Sy controlled Round 2 on the strength of his grappling, but he did Menifield a massive favorite by not wrestling in either the first or final frame, and Alonzo pulled the upset as a result. The 37-year-old Texan has won back-to-back fights to follow up a brief two-fight losing streak.