Jimmy Crute’s latest fight at UFC 290 didn’t go according to plan, and now “The Brute” plans on taking some time off to sort through his life priorities.
The Australian light heavyweight was hoping to win a rematch against Alonzo Menifield, one which had ended in a draw five months prior. But the scorecard doesn’t tell the true story: while Crute started out strong, Menifield took over in the last two rounds, nearly finishing the fight multiple times. It was only due to a fence grab that the match ended up a draw.
The rematch was like round 4 of the first fight. Menifield was too fast, and Crute didn’t have any answers against the more technical fighter. He’d end up getting submitted two minutes into the second round.
Crute seemed to retire following the disappointing result, taking off his gloves and putting them in the middle of the octagon. But no announcement was made. Now Crute is walking back the retirement, but declaring he’ll take a potentially lengthy break from the sport to get his head in the right place.
“I’ve had a bit to process,” Crute wrote on Instagram. “That reaction after the fight just shows how unhealthy my relationship has gotten with this sport. I have been obsessed with being in the UFC since I was 12 years old and it has been my entire identity since I made the decision to chase this dream.”
“I have a lot to address before I think about stepping back in there,” he continued. “Truth is, I don’t even know who I am without all of this. I am going to take the time to find myself, do the therapy and get myself right. I’ve needed to walk away from this unhealthy obsession for a while now.”
“That being said deep down I know that I am far from done. I’m going to step away for as long as it takes and do the work then comeback with a healthy and sustainable mindset toward this sport. How long that takes isn’t up to me but I look forward to the challenges coming up.”
“Thank you to everyone that has reached out to check on me. I appreciate it more than I am able to express.”
Crute came into the UFC via a big first round KO on Dana White’s Contender Series 2018, and then went on to amass a 4-1 record in the promotion with four finishes. He suffered a bad leg injury in a fight against Anthony Smith and then had to take several months off for a knee reconstruction. He had the bad fortune to return against now-champ Jamahal Hill, who KO’d Crute in under a minute (watch the finish here).
Crute seemed slower and less confident in his return against Alonzo Menifield at UFC 284. The knee surgery may have slowed him down just enough to throw him off his game. If he’s going to stick around, he’ll need to learn some new tricks and strategies while away. He’s got some solid gifts: knockout power, an aggressive submission game, and a granite chin. Here’s hoping he returns in 2024 with his head sorted out.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
