Los Angeles — Kicking off the main card at UFC 331 in L.A. on Saturday, light heavyweight Alonzo Menifield is the next test for the undefeated Iwo Baraniewski.
It’s a match-up that Menfield (18-6-1) knew might arrive some day, he explained during Wednesday’s UFC 331 media day.
“I watch all the 205’ers. When I seen him, I’m like ‘yeah you know, it’s a possibility,’” recalled Menifield, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “When they said ‘this guy’s available, you’ve got to take it or you’ve got to wait,’ I said ‘I’ll take it.’ So here we are.”
Menifield himself was once the fighter who was undefeated, on an impressive KO streak. That gives him unique insight into where Baraniewski is at in his career.
“If I’m thinking about me, I’m just trying to get in there and win, and put everyone away. So if he’s thinking like that, from experience, you’ve got to adjust. So that’s what I’m going to show him.”
Baraniewski sees the fight as either Alonzo Menifield rushing in or countering, or potentially a brawl. Menifield doesn’t disagree.
“If he sees it like that, cool with me. I see it the same way. But a brawl, I’m a lot cleaner than the people who’s been fighting, or I can be. And I know I can be sloppy, but this camp we’ve focused on being clean, staying in the pocket, moving the hips with the punches. So it should be a nice fight for me.”
Watch the full UFC 331 media day appearance by Alonzo Menifield above.