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Aussie fighter Jim Crute ready to make second UFC fight against Sam Alvey a ‘bloodbath’ if necessary

Melbourne fighter Jimmy Crute has no concerns about a troublesome injury which, under his right eye, will be carried into UFC 234 on Sunday, laughing: ‘I like a bloodbath’.

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Melbourne fighter Jimmy Crute has no concerns about a troublesome cut which, under his right eye, will be carried into UFC 234, laughing: “I like a bloodbath”.

Set to face American veteran Sam Alvey at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday, Crute will carry a noticeable tear which, suffered in his final training session, only had the stitches removed on Thursday.

Yet just as worryingly, the 22-year-old light heavyweight is also facing an American rival who boasts more fights on Australian soil than even he does — with UFC 234 marking a third trip Down Under for Californian native Alvey.

Jimmy Crute knows he has a big challenge in front of him on Sunday.
Jimmy Crute knows he has a big challenge in front of him on Sunday.

While Crute has fought in the UFC only once, and nine times professionally, Alvey boasts 16 Octagon appearances, 45 fights as a professional and some eight years more experience.

The American has also convincingly won both of his previous bouts in Australia, beating Dan Kelly by TKO at UFC Adelaide in 2015 and Dylan Andrews by KO a year earlier in Sydney.

When quizzed on the whopping discrepancy, Crute said: “When I hear that, I think ‘great, what a challenge’.

“Because you have to understand, I’m not fighting in the UFC to try and pad out a record.

“I don’t want to be fighting tin cans … I’m not here to be a can crusher … I want to have the best challenges out there. And in my second UFC fight, Sam Alvey is a great challenge for me.”

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Not surprisingly, Alvey said he was happy to be back fighting in Australia.

“Yeah, third time here,” he grinned.

“So I’ve actually had more fights in Australia (for the UFC) than he has, and he’s Australian.

“And overall I have a lot more experience than he does.”

Originally published as Aussie fighter Jim Crute ready to make second UFC fight against Sam Alvey a ‘bloodbath’ if necessary

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/boxing-mma/aussie-fighter-jim-crute-ready-to-make-second-ufc-fight-against-sam-alvey-a-bloodbath-if-necessary/news-story/9a0297c0a98df8c5f8d9a8dfc36882fe