Jimmy Crute has revealed how a series of conversations with Australia’s fight favourite Rob Whittaker now has him ready to dominate the UFC light heavyweight division, revealing: “I’m going to be world champion, there’s no doubt in my mind”.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on the eve of his hyped comeback at UFC 284, Crute opened up on the crucial overhaul he has undertaken – both physically and mentally – in his 14 months since suffering consecutive losses, and then ACL surgery.
While UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski is, undeniably, top billing here in Perth, there exists a host of great Aussie fight stories on the undercard of his showdown with Islam Makhachev — among them rising local boy Jack Della Maddalena, a resurrected Tyson Pedro and returning Melbournian Crute.
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Ranked among the sport’s most exciting young stars, Crute revealed he was both “delusional” and “scared” going into his last fight against Jamahal Hill in December, 2021 – a tough KO loss against an American who has since risen up to become UFC light heavyweight champ.
Despite being finished in the first round, Crute insists the 2021 encounter proved the catalyst for a complete overhaul which, soon enough, will see him claim the same gold strap himself.
The 26-year-old also revealed how spending time with Team Whittaker this camp has him ready to beat Alonzo Menifield at UFC 284 on Sunday morning.
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Only a few years ago, Whittaker himself endured something of a mental overhaul after breaking down in the Wanda sand dunes on Christmas Day. Like Crute, the Reaper disappeared for an extended period as part of a reinvention that, once again, sees him ranked among the company most dangerous fighters.
Crute said that while training with Whittaker has been outstanding preparation for the Perth card, the conversations the pair shared before and after workouts was even better.
“Rob has always been one of my favourite fighters and I respect him so much,” the Melburnian said.
“And working with him this camp, it’s been great because I also got to pick his brain.
“Rob’s had a big mentality shift himself (in recent years) and it was good to bounce some ideas off him.
“So while the training was great, the chats we were able to have were even more amazing again.
“This is a brutal sport we do and it’s hard to find people who you can relate to. So with Rob, it was nice to find someone who could give me their two cents.”
All of which has Crute ready for Sunday, and beyond.
“I have some big plans,” he continued.
“I truly believe I’m going to be a world champion, there is no doubt in my mind.
“And I feel it’s going to be sooner than you might think.”
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Crute also opened up on his head space leading into that showdown with Hill, where he was carrying a serious knee injury that has since required surgery.
“Entering into that fight, I was a shell,” the Aussie revealed.
“Didn’t want to be there.
“I wasn’t in a great headspace at all and, physically, I wasn’t there, either.
“But no excuse.
“I didn’t fight the way I should’ve and Hill was the better man.
“But that fight showed me I could no longer turn a blind eye to some things.
“Jamahal Hill put me to sleep, but he also woke me up.”
Pushed on what he needed to change, Crute continued: “There were a lot of things, some of which I don’t really want to go into.
“But I was completely burnt out.
“Had no passion for the sport.
“I was just rocking up and training as hard as I could every session without any plan to it.
“I was letting my ego get in the way.
“So I really had to take a step back and fix some things.”
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Crute did, reveal however that looking back on the Hill fight, he went into the match scared.
“Yet because I’ve spent so much time locking out emotions, I didn’t even know what fear felt like,” he says.
“But I can look back to that fight now and go ‘OK that was fear’.
“And it wasn’t like I was scared of Jamahal.
“But it was a fear of everything. It’s hard to explain.
“Deep down I knew something wasn’t right (with me), that’s where the fear came from.
“I didn’t want to accept the fact that I needed surgery. Or that I wasn’t at my best.
“I’d become a bit delusional.
“I was looking at how I wanted things to be rather than what was the truth.”
Crute adds: “And when you look back at that fight, I was going after him from the get go. I was scared, thinking ‘I need to get him before he gets me’.
“But now? I feel like a different person.
“I’m not avoiding anything.
“I’ve taken a year off to focus on myself and do the work.
“I’m ready, and you will see that Sunday.
“You’re going to see a man who has the utmost belief in himself.”