**UPDATE: LFA light heavyweight champion Fabio Cherant will be stepping in for Knight, who has been removed from the card due to COVID-19 protocols.**
Hard-hitting light heavyweights clash in this exciting matchup between Alonzo Menifield and William Knight. UFC 260 offers a host of exciting contests, and these 205ers will be looking to put on a spectacular performance in order to stand out from the rest of the card.
Alonzo Menifield (9-2)
Alonzo Menifield is going into this fight with a 2-2 record in the UFC so far. While his last two fights were losses, they both came against high-level opposition. Since joining the UFC in 2019, Menifield has picked up impressive wins against Vinicius Moreira and Paul Craig, as well the aforementioned losses to Ovince Saint Preux and Devin Clark.
“Atomic” is an athletic specimen with certified knockout power. All 9 wins on his record have come by way of finish, with 8 wins by KO/TKO and 1 by submission. His aggressive style and natural athletic prowess allow him to pick up early finishes win impressive regularity. However, this does raise the issue of how well his stamina can hold up, should his opponent fend off his initial onslaught. Devin Clark was able to use his wrestling to recover from Menifield’s early blitz by utilising his wrestling, which only became more effective as the fight went on, due to Menifield’s quickly depleting gas tank.
William Knight (9-1)
A quick look at William Knight‘s record could initially make one think he is a near mirror match of his opponent. With 9 wins overall, 8 of which are by KO/TKO, Knight has a nearly identical record to Alonzo Menifield. However, Knight does have several crucial differences to his game that could equally lead to his victory or to his downfall in this fight.
What Knight lacks in height he more than makes up for in muscle mass. The “Knightmare” is likely to be Menifield’s physical equal in the octagon. He is also an extremely competent wrestler, and all of his wins outside of the UFC have been stoppages, mainly via ground and pound, he has also shown the ability to adapt to tougher competition. Against the dangerous Aleksa Camur, Knight was willing to use his wrestling skill to dominate his opponent on the mat and grind out a decision victory. However, all fights start on the feet, and Knight’s only loss was a round 1 TKO stoppage.
Fight Breakdown
This fight will be a true clash of titans between two of the most athletic fighters in the division. However, the fight itself would appear to be rather clear-cut.
Alonzo Menifield will go out guns blazing in the first round and attempt to use his size and strength to dominate Knight. The smaller cage may make it easier for him to corral Knight early and catch him with a flurry of heavy punches.
However, Knight will most likely be looking to either clinch up or bring the fight to the mat. Should Knight whether the storm or take Menifield down, one would have to think that Knight would have the advantage. Based on Menifield’s track record, should the fight pass into the second round he will likely begin to gas out. However, he will still retain knockout power, which Knight should be alert to at all times.
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UFC 260 Fight Card
Main Card
- Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou
- Tyron Woodley vs. Vincente Luque
- Sean O’Malley vs. Thomas Almeida
- Khama Worthy vs. Jamie Mullarkey
Preliminary Card
- Alonzo Menifield vs. William Knight
- Jessica Penne vs. Hannah Goldy
- Jared Gooden vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov
Early Prelims
- Modestas Bukauskas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
- Gillian Robertson vs. Miranda Maverick
- Shane Young vs. Omar Morales
- Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Abu Azaitar
Featured image:
Embed from Getty Images
