Alonzo Menifield eyes stoppage win over Devin Clark at UFC 250

Alonzo Menifield believes the pressure is on him to make his fight against Devin Clark entertaining for the fans.

Menifield and Clark are the second fight from the bottom on the UFC 250 card, which will be Menifield’s first fight in nearly a year. Since his last fight, a first-round knockout of Paul Craig, the undefeated prospect dealt with a serious neck injury.

So, when Menifield steps into the Octagon on Saturday night, he’ll be eager to get right back to where he was before the injury.

“I was bummed about the injury. But, I was going to go in there with my injury even with all the warnings from the doctors. That was until my arm started to shrink so I had to take the injury seriously,” Menifield said to BJPENN.com. “I have more of an urgency to fight now. I have a fire I haven’t felt in a long time. I’m way more motivated and hungrier than I have ever been. I’m just grateful to fight, after having the disc replacement, me being able to fight again, I’m pumped. It will be awesome because it’s been a year since I fought. I’m stoked and pretty excited.”

Against Clark, Menifield knows the game plan will be to stuff the takedown attempts of his opponent. If he does just that, he knows he will have a good night inside the Octagon.

The Fortis MMA product also spent a lot of time talking with his teammate, Ryan Spann, who beat Clark last year.

“Clark is a wrestler which will not be good for him. I’m stronger than him and I’ll keep it standing so he’ll have to fight me on the feet,” he explained. “Ryan Spann’s help has been tremendous, I’m just ready to get this win.”

Image via Alonzo Menifield on Instagram

Alonzo Menifield is currently 2-0 inside the Octagon with two first-round finishes. Yet, after a year away due to injury, the 32-year-old believes people have forgotten about him. So, he plans on reminding everyone he’s coming for the top of the light heavyweight division.

“My whole game plan is to come out and be my destructive self. Just let it be known I’m here with all my power and speed,” he said. “I have the wrestling defense and just display all my skills so the division can know I’m around. I’m never searching for a knockout, I just go in there with high intensity.

“My plan is to go in there and fight my fight and bring it to him,” Menifield continued. “If he goes unconscious then I get the knockout. But, I’ll be ready to defend all his takedowns and I’ll get my hand raised. I may even pull out a submission.”

Although Menifield is eager to get back into fighting, he is disappointed they are so low on the card. But, he knows that is because of his opponent. So, if it is going to be an exciting fight, it will be up to him.

“I was a little surprised I’m so low on the card. It is what it is. Devin Clark is not there to entertain like how I am trying to entertain, which is why I am so low on the card,” he said. “This fight is up to me to make it entertaining and that’s what I plan on doing.”

In the end, Alonzo Menifield is confident he has what it takes to get his hand raised and continue his climb up the light heavyweight rankings.

“A win should put me in a spot for me to get a higher-level guy. As far as rankings, I’m not sure. Devin Clark hasn’t been the most entertaining fighter but he has been around,” he concluded. “So, it should put me near that top-15. I’m ready to prove myself against anyone.”

Do you think Alonzo Menifield will be able to beat Devin Clark at UFC 250?