Alonzo Menifield

Alonzo Menifield, nicknamed "Atomic," is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division of the UFC.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Menifield overcame a difficult childhood — losing his father at a young age and spending time in the foster care system before being adopted — on his way to a career in athletics. He played linebacker at Glendale Community College and later at Texas A&M University-Commerce, where he earned a degree in criminal justice. When a professional football career failed to materialize, he worked security jobs while training in combat sports.

Menifield earned his UFC contract through Dana White's Contender Series, stopping Dashawn Boatwright in just eight seconds with a single straight right hand. He made his promotional debut in early 2019, knocking out Vinicius Moreira in the first round.

Training out of Fortis MMA in Dallas, Texas, under head coach Sayif Saud, Menifield is known first and foremost for his one-punch power. A converted football linebacker, he channels that explosiveness into abbreviated, violent finishes, favoring heavy striking and smothering ground-and-pound over prolonged grappling exchanges. By his own description, his approach is built to be "anti-ground," pressuring opponents and looking to end fights early rather than let them go the distance.

That style has produced some of the light heavyweight division's most emphatic finishes, including a first-round knockout of Misha Cirkunov, a Performance of the Night stoppage of Paul Craig, and a guillotine-choke submission of Jimmy Crute. He has also picked up notable decision victories, such as over Dustin Jacoby, underscoring a well-rounded skill set beneath the knockout power.

Beyond the highlight-reel finishes, Menifield's journey — from foster care and a football career cut short to the UFC cage — has made him one of the light heavyweight division's more compelling stories.