UFC 331 results: Alonzo Menifield wins split decision over Iwo Baraniewski despite mangled, broken thumb

Alonzo Menifield produced one of the biggest wins of his career at UFC 331, pulling off a split decision victory over Iwo Baraniewski despite competing with a mangled, broken thumb that he sustained in the opening round.

The light heavyweight affair was a slugfest from start to finish. In round one, both fighters came out throwing heavy leather, with Baraniewski landing the more effective strikes and hurting Menifield against the cage. The damage continued into round two, where Menifield and Baraniewski traded successive combinations with neither willing to back down despite the brutal pace. With five minutes remaining, the ringside physician paused the action to examine Menifield's left thumb, which appeared barely attached to his hand. Menifield insisted on continuing despite the severity of the injury.

Menifield's resilience paid off in the third round, where he seemed to find more energy than his undefeated opponent. Fighting effectively with a broken thumb, Menifield picked up the final frame and secured the split decision victory with two judges scoring 29-28 in his favor against one 28-29 card for Baraniewski. The performance marked Menifield's second consecutive upset win and handed Baraniewski his first professional loss, derailing the Polish prospect's perfect record after a run of quick finishes in the UFC.