Alonzo Menifield and Julius Walker meet Saturday on the UFC Fight Night 252 main card at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker UFC Seattle preview
Menifield (15-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) is looking to avoid the dreaded three-fight losing streak that signals trouble for most veterans’ careers. Menifield has been finished by Carlos Ulberg (in 12 seconds) and Azamat Murzakanov in his past two fights. … Walker (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is making his UFC debut after turning pro in April 2023. All six of his victorioes have been stoppages.
Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker UFC Seattle expert pick, prediction
Despite having guaranteed bangers like Andre Fili vs. Melquizael Costa being stuck on the prelims, the UFC matchmakers decided to double down on their fetish of force-feeding us lower-level big men on main cards by cobbling together a booking between Menifield and Walker as the opener.
In Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby’s defense, Menifield and Walker both appear to be genuine athletes and good guys, so I hope that my hyperbolic words don’t land too harshly as I point out the matchmakers’ tendencies. And for all our sakes, let’s hope that Maynard and Shelby are right by putting these two in this low-key important slot.
Walker, for a fighter as tall as he is, almost looks shorter given how smoothly he moves (particularly in grappling transitions).
Whether he’s hitting wrist-feed rides like a giant Islam Makhachev or his flowing into triangle chokes from mount, Walker looks to have the skills to surprise a lot of heavyweights who aren’t on their game. That said, Walker has shown a bit of porous striking defense in the past, so seeing his night end early courtesy of a Menifield hook wouldn’t be the craziest thing in the world.
Although part of me wants to take a flier on the underdog in Walker to win by submission, something tells me this is the classic ‘too much, too soon’ prospect loss. Moreover, Menifield is reportedly back with Fortis MMA, which I believe is a good trend given my respect for their head coach, Sayif Saud.
But considering that Menifield is coming off of two stoppage losses, I suspect that we get a much more conservative version of him this time around.
I hope I’m wrong, but I see a fight full of sloppy cage pushing and grappling that goes the distance. The pick is Menifield by decision.
Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker UFC Seattle odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the more experienced fighter, listing Menifield (-230) and Walker (+184) via FanDuel.
Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker UFC Seattle start time, how to watch
As the main card opener, Menifield and Walker are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:10 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
