Jimmy Crute wasn’t leaving UFC 318 without a win and he nearly took a souvenir home as well.
The Australian light heavyweight needed less than a round to lock Marcin Prachnio in a scary armbar that forced a tap, giving Crute his first win since October 2020. It’s been a tough stretch for Crute, who has dealt with injuries and poor results inside the octagon.
Watch Crute’s slick finish below.
JIMMY CRUTE WITH THE THIRD FIRST-ROUND FINISH OF THE NIGHT ⚡️
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Crute’s game plan was obvious early as he looked to grapple Prachnio and prevent him from implementing any striking. The strategy worked to a tee as Prachnio was neutralized for the majority of the contest before Crute went for the finish.
With his legs locked around Prachnio’s arm and crossed over Prachnio’s face, the Polish fighter was left with no room to move and no choice but to signal his submission. The official time of the stoppage was 4:42 into Round 1.
Prachnio appeared to be favoring the attacked limb afterwards, but it was unclear if he had suffered any significant injury.
The win breaks Crute out of a 0-3-2 slump, with his most recent win prior to Saturday being a first-round knockout of Modestas Bukauskas almost five years ago. Crute was once ranked on the UFC’s official light heavyweight chart and at 29, still has time to make a run to contention.
Prachnio falls to 4-7 in the UFC with his third loss in his past four fights.
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