Bendigo’s Jim ‘The Brute’ Crute won his debut UFC fight against Paul ‘Bearjew’ Craig at Adelaide’s Fight Night.
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Crute put up a fierce battle during rounds one and two before forcing Craig into submission with a kimura in the final seconds of the third round.
“Man that feels incredible. I’ve dreamed of this moment for the last 10 years,” Crute said after the fight.
“10 years ago I decided I wanted to do this and never once have I strayed from the path.
“I’ve always kept moving forward and this is only the beginning.”
In the last minute of round three Crute began to deliver a series of punches to Craig’s head, and after a tussle Crute then found an opening to get his opponent into a kimura submission which finished the fight.
“I told my jiu-jitsu coach eight weeks out that I was going to catch him with a kimura,” Crute said.
“I’m not afraid to fight fire with fire. He’s one of the best grapplers in the division..I’m not scared of anyone.”
“I will fight anyone, anyway.”
Crute secured a four-fight UFC contract after he defeated Chris ‘The Big Buck’ Birchler on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender series earlier in the year.
Despite the high level of confidence to succeed at his UFC debut, he still felt some pre-fight nerves.
“I thought I had the nerves under wraps, but when I walked out my heart was going ‘boom boom boom’, nothing compares to this.
“I’m here to stay and UFC is my new home.”
Crute’s next UFC fight will be in Melbourne on February 10 2019.
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