Chris Curtis thought he was going to get the decision nod against Brendan Allen on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 240, but it didn’t work out in his favor.
To make matters worse, Curtis (31-11 MMA, 5-3 UFC) thinks he sustained a torn hamstring late in the split decision defeat to Allen (24-5 MMA, 12-2 UFC) in the middleweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Curtis stepped in as a replacement for Marvin Vettori on three weeks’ notice at UFC Fight Night 240 in a rematch of his December 2021 knockout of Allen. He showed again that he’s a tough matchup for “All In,” going five rounds and convincing one of the judges to score it in his favor. The other two didn’t, though, and Curtis came out with the loss.
He reflected on the result in a post-fight statement where he also addressed injury concerns. Curtis also said he hopes to get a trilogy fight with Allen down the line (via Instagram):
Not the result we wanted, but it is what it is. I thought we had it, but congrats to @b_allen185. Love you brotha and enjoy the night. But remember, it’s 1-1, you owe me the trilogy lol. Rest up and enjoy your family. Thank you all for the support, and I’m sorry. I felt good, I was ready, maybe I’m just getting to old for this shit. Lol time will tell. Until next time guys.
Edit: btw guys, it looks like I tore my hamstring. Popped it in round 2 and we think it tore in round 5 at the end. We’ll find out on Monday after we get some scans. Thank you guys for the concern.
If Curtis’ worst fears come true, he could be looking at a lengthy absence from competition. A fully torn hamstring typically requires surgery, and the recovery window could last anywhere from three to six months.
At 36, it could be a career-altering situation for Curtis, but his spirits appeared rather high in the aftermath of the competitive bout with Allen, which multiple fighters deemed the Fight of the Year so far in 2024.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.
