SEATTLE – Alonzo Menifield is back in familiar surroundings as he tries to snap a two-bout losing skid Saturday at UFC Fight Night 252.
After starting his UFC run fighting out of Fortis MMA in Dallas under coach Sayif Saud, Menifield expanded his horizons in recent years to multiple gyms. The most prominent of his stay saw him go to Colorado with kickboxing and MMA veteran Pat Barry in his corner, but recently, the decision was made to return to his roots.
Menifield (15-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) has never lost three consecutive fights in his career. He doesn’t want that to happen when he meets newcomer Julius Walker in a light heavyweight bout at Climate Pledge Arena (ESPN+), and in order to give himself the best chance, Menifield did his training camp at Fortis MMA.
“I traveled around, went to everywhere and then I was in a training facility, I’m not going to name the name, but I was in this big old gym and I was realizing, ‘They do this at Fortis. They’re grinding hard like this,'” Menifield told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 252 media day. “So I’m like, ‘Why don’t I just go home and be with my family and train?’ So I’m back at Fortis. Appreciate Fortis.”
According to Menifield, there was no negativity around his original departure from Fortis MMA. When this situation arose, he said Saud had no issues welcoming him back with open arms.
“Me and Sayif, we’ve always been good,” Menifield said. “I never left on bad terms. I just told him I need to expand and that’s what I did just traveling around realizing what I can add to me. I wasn’t anything sour, so I was able to go back home. No problem.”
Menifield, 37, is seemingly in prime position for a strong rebound. He get a short-notice promotional debuting fighter in Walker (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) who has never experienced the stage of the UFC lights. Menifield has been in those shoes and knows what it’s like, but said it’s his job to give Walker a rude introduction.
“I think this is an exciting fight as far as this opportunity for both of us,” Menifield said. “For him, especially, right? He’s a young guy trying to make a statement and I look forward to just shutting that all down.”
Related
Video: ‘UFC Fight Night 252: Cejudo vs. Song’ media day interviews
UFC Fight Night 252 pre-event facts: Henry Cejudo on cusp of career-worst skid
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Alonzo Menifield explains return ‘home’ to Fortis MMA before UFC Fight Night 252
