UFC 284: Why was Alonzo Menifield deducted a point against Jimmy Crute? Which moves lead to points deductions in the UFC?

Alonzo Menifield and Jimmy Crute opened the main card for UFC 284 in a light heavyweight banger. The fight was a thrilling back-and-forth affair that went the full 15-minute distance.

In the end, the fight was declared a majority draw as the three judges scored the fight 29-27, 28-28, and 28-28. The outcome might have been different if not for a point deduction.

In the third round of the fight, Crute held Menifield against the fence and attempted a takedown. In order to stay on his feet, 'Atomic' grabbed the fence which caused referee Marc Goddard to intervene. The referee separated the two and deducted a point from Menifield for the illegal fence-grab.

In the post-fight octagon interview with Michael Bisping, Crute expressed disappointment at the result and suggested a rematch between the two light heavyweights:

Menifield echoed Crute's sentiment of a rematch during his time on the microphone.

Apart from fence-grabbing, several other moves are banned in the UFC and can lead to point deductions or even disqualifications in a fight. Some of the most common moves that attract a point deduction include eye poking and groin strikes.

Illegal moves like headbutts and knees/kicks on a downed opponent are also seen from time to time inside the octagon.

Moves like fish hooking, punches to the back of the head, piledriving, hair pulling, and 12-to-6 elbows are also banned in the UFC.

Twitter reacts to Alonzo Menifield vs. Jimmy Crute at UFC 284

Alonzo Menifield and Jimmy Crute blew the roof off the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, and delivered an electrifying three-round contest for MMA fans around the world.

MMA fans and personalities took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the UFC 284 main card opener.

Journalist Nolan King praised the two fighters for their display of grit in the fight.

John Morgan stated that according to him, the point deduction was a fair move by Marc Goddard.

One Twitter user had something different to say as he criticized the two light heavyweights for their cardio.

A few more tweets on the Alonzo Menifield vs. Jimmy Crute fight can be seen below:

About the author

Puneet has a total of 2.5 years of experience and specializes in reporting on MMA and boxing for Sportskeeda. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, which aided him in his writing skills.

The iconic interim featherweight title fight between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in 2015 ignited Puneet’s passion for the sport. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira stands out as Puneet’s favorite MMA fighter as he's drawn to 'Do Bronx's' captivating background story and entertaining persona. He is a believer of MMA being the world’s no.1 combat sport as opposed to Boxing.

While writing, Puneet ensures that his articles stay true to their titles and deliver valuable information to readers. He emphasizes the importance of embedding videos or pictures directly from their original sources to enrich the reader's experience.

Puneet’s professional achievements include covering major events such as UFC 264 and several boxing matches featuring renowned fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.

Beyond MMA, Puneet likes to watch movies.

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