MMA Match Preview: Jimmy Crute (13-4-2) vs. Ivan Erslan (14-5)

Venue & Event Details

Event: UFC Fight Night 260: Ulberg vs. Reyes

Location: RAC Arena, Perth, Western Australia

Bout Order: Co-Main Event (Light Heavyweight)

Main Card Start Time: Approx. 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT (Sunday morning local time in Perth)

Broadcast: ESPN+ (U.S.), TNT Sports (UK), UFC Fight Pass (international)

Injury / Availability Report

Jimmy “The Brute” Crute (13–4–2, Australia): No reported injuries. Recently snapped a five-fight winless streak with a first-round armbar win over Marcin Prachnio in July 2025.

Ivan Erslan (14–5, Croatia): Healthy and cleared. Enters on a two-fight skid, losing decisions to Navajo Stirling and Ion Cutelaba.

Fighter Matchups

Jimmy Crute (6’2”, 205 lbs, 74” reach, orthodox)

Style: Pressure-heavy kickboxer with strong grappling.

Strengths: Aggressive pace, 52% striking accuracy, 4.17 sig. strikes landed per min, dangerous submission game.

Weaknesses: Defensive lapses in striking exchanges, historically hittable (absorbs 4.3 sig. strikes per min).

Ivan Erslan (6’2”, 205 lbs, 72.5” reach, orthodox)

Style: Striker with knockout power from his regional career.

Strengths: 71% of wins by KO/TKO, patient counter-striking, solid durability.

Weaknesses: Low output (2.5 sig. strikes landed per min), struggles with takedown defense and volume.

Recent Form

Crute (Last 3):

W – Marcin Prachnio (Submission, R1, July 2025)

D – Rodolfo Bellato (Draw, 2024)

L – Alonzo Menifield (Submission, 2023)

Erslan (Last 3):

L – Navajo Stirling (UD, 2025)

L – Ion Cutelaba (SD, 2024)

W – Regional opponent (KO, 2023)

Fight History / Series

First-ever meeting between Crute and Erslan.

Both are unranked light heavyweights, but the winner could break into the top 15 with a statement performance.

Betting Trends

Crute:

4 of last 6 fights ended inside the distance.

5–4–2 UFC record, with 9 of 13 wins by finish.

Strong home-crowd advantage in Perth.

Erslan:

2 straight losses by decision.

3 fights before that ended inside the distance.

Winless in UFC so far.

FIGHT ODDS

Jimmy Crute       – 210

Ivan Erslan          + 170

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025