MMA News

Tag: Chris Curtis

  • Sean Strickland Suspended For Six Months By NSAC

    Sean Strickland Suspended For Six Months By NSAC

    The Nevada State Athletic Commission has finally ruled on a suspension for UFC fighter Sean Strickland, suspending the former UFC middleweight champion six months.

    The suspension is retroactive to June 29, the date of the incident at a Tuff-N-Uff event that led to Strickland’s suspension. Strickland will be eligible to return to action on December 29.

    The NSAC, however, further ruled that Strickland’s suspension can be reduced to four-and-a-half months if he completes an anger management course. This would make him eligible to return on November 14.

    Strickland also faces a $5,000 fine, plus fees.

    This ruling comes one month after the initial planned NSAC hearing for Strickland.

    Sean Strickland Suspended Six Months After Punching Fighter At Tuff-N-Uff Event

    Strickland was present at an event hosted by Tuff-N-Uff, and broadcasted on UFC Fight Pass, on June 29. Strickland and teammate Chris Curtis were in the corner of Miles Hunsinger as he took on Luis Hernandez.

    After submitting Hunsinger, Hernandez taunted Hunsinger’s corner, looking in the direction of the two UFC fighters. This caused Strickland and Curtis to come into the cage, with Strickland throwing punches at Hernandez, with at least one landing before security intervened to break the altercation up.

    Curtis was not suspended; however, he was fined $2,500 plus fees.

    Strickland has not been in action since losing to Dricus Du Plessis in a middleweight title rematch at UFC 312 in February.

  • Sean Strickland Punches Fighter After Being Taunted During Tuff-N-Uff Event

    Sean Strickland Punches Fighter After Being Taunted During Tuff-N-Uff Event

    Sean Strickland got into a cage and threw, and he wasn’t even at a UFC event — he wasn’t even in a match at all.

    Strickland, along with Chris Curtis, was in the corner for a teammate’s fight at Tuff-N-Uff 145 on June 29, held at The Theatre at The Sahara in Las Vegas, Nevada. The teammate, Miles Hunsinger, was in action in a middleweight contest against Luis Hernandez.

    Less than a minute into the second round of the fight, Hernandez had Hunsinger caught in a standing guillotine, scoring the submission. Following the win, Hernandez appeared to make vulgar taunts in the direction of Curtis and Strickland.

    Strickland, not one to let jeers at him fly by, entered the cage with Curtis. While Curtis tried to speak to Hernandez, Strickland punched the Tuff-N-Uff fighter, resulting in officials having to intervene to break up the pair. Hernandez and Curtis did exchange some words before Curtis and Strickland exited the cage.

    Sean Strickland Punches Taunting Fighter At Tuff-N-Uff Event

    It is unknown what action, if any, the Nevada State Athletic Commission will take against Strickland, or anyone else involved in the incident at the Tuff-N-Uff event.

    The UFC and Tuff-N-Uff both have yet to release statements on the incident as of 9pm ET on June 29.

    This is far from Strickland’s first controversy outside of the Octagon. Strickland has also been under fire for batterings of content creators, including Nick Nayersina and Sneako. He has also come under heavy fire in the past for sexist and homophobic comments, as well as verbal attacks on media.

    Strickland was last in action in February, losing a UFC middleweight title rematch to Dricus Du Plessis.

    Hernandez improved to 6-0 with the win, while Hunsinger fell to 7-2.

  • Eric Nicksick Slams ‘Egomaniac’ Ref Who Stopped Chris Curtis Fight: ‘That Was Some B*tch Sh*t!’ 

    Eric Nicksick Slams ‘Egomaniac’ Ref Who Stopped Chris Curtis Fight: ‘That Was Some B*tch Sh*t!’ 

    Eric Nicksick was not happy with a call that was made in relation to one of his fighters at the first UFC event of the year. This past weekend at the Apex, Roman Kopylov and Chris Curtis earned the first fight of the night bonus of 2025 for their middleweight clash.

    In the final seconds of the back-and-forth battle, Kopylov took Curtis off his feet with a head kick which referee Mark Smith deemed was the end of the fight. He stepped into wave the fight off with just one second left on the clock and his decision was instantly scrutinized by both Curtis and his Xtreme Couture corner.

    Whilst his opponent believes that it was the right call to make, the argument in favor of Curtis is that with the final bell about to sound and his opponent backing off rather than pursuing his opponent, “The Action Man” was in no sense of danger whatsoever. On a recent episode of his Verse Us podcast, Nicksick spoke about how he was frustrated with the referee long before the stoppage for not punishing several fouls which slowed the fight down.

    ”That’s what I’m pissed off about. You never get three timeouts in a f—king fight. So, number one, he spit his mouthpiece out. That wasn’t too bad. All right. Groin strike… Then the eye poke, and I calmly said to Mark, ‘Hey, that is two infractions in a row in this round. Where’s the point?”

    Nicksick went on to talk specifically about the stoppage and goes further than that by talking about Smith’s personality and his issues with the prominent official.

    ”You [Smith] decided to stop the fight with one second left… Let the motherfu*ker go out on his shield bro. That was some b*tch sh*t, you didn’t have to stop the fight on that moment… He fraternizes with other gyms, teams, fighters, coaches and everything else… I think he’s an egomaniac. I mean, I’ve never heard a ref ask people to vote for him for the ‘MMA Ref of the Year.” 

    Nicksick also posted the following statement on Instagram, addressing his reaction to the stoppage and apologizing for his actions.

  • Mark Smith Bashed by Fighter For Last-Second Chris Curtis Stoppage At UFC Vegas 101: ‘Got To Be The Lowest Graded Ref’

    Mark Smith Bashed by Fighter For Last-Second Chris Curtis Stoppage At UFC Vegas 101: ‘Got To Be The Lowest Graded Ref’

    UFC Vegas 101 brought fight fans the first UFC card of 2025 and with that came the first set of highlight reel finishes, entertaining contests and yes, controversial refereeing decisions. The middleweight clash between Roman Kopylov and Chris Curtis earned the first fight of the night bonus of the year following their back-and-forth encounter on the main card.

    What the fight will likely be remembered for however is the call that Mark Smith made to wave the fight off with just one second left on the clock. Kopylov landed a head kick that knocked Curtis off balance but with the clock running down and his opponent on the floor, the Russian decided to back away rather than chasing his opponent to the ground to land more strikes.

    Despite the fact that Curtis wasn’t in danger of taking any more damage, Smith stepped in and the stoppage was heavily disputed by “The Action Man” in the immediate aftermath. It’s also of note that the fight was tied at 19-19 across all three scorecards heading into the third round which would have been won by Kopylov if the fight had continued for one more second.

    Curtis has since posted a statement on social media where he seemed less frustrated at the ending of the fight though he was still disappointed to have not secured the victory. Kopylov, on the other hand, believes that the official made the right decision, stating in his post-fight press conference that he chose not to follow-up with any more strikes because it wasn’t neccesary and that he’s open to the idea of a rematch if that’s what people want.

    In a post on social media, UFC flyweight Charles Johnson criticized Smith by questioning the consistency of his decision making.

    “Mark smith has got to be the lowest graded ref on roster. Constantly interjects himself and only thing consistent with calls is his inconsistency”

    Some of the replies underneath Johnson’s post made reference to one of his previous fights which was refereed by Smith. In his fight with Sumudaerji last October, he believed that the fight should have been stopped but Smith didn’t step in and it ended up going the distance.

  • Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    Chris Curtis Ponders His UFC Future In First Statement After KO Loss To Roman Kopylov

    UFC middleweight Chris Curtis could be committing to a major change following his latest setback.

    Curtis was among the fighters tasked with kicking things off for the mixed martial arts leader in 2025, as he got his campaign for the year underway Saturday at the Apex in Las Vegas.

    After narrowly falling short in a main event rematch opposite Brendan Allen last April — and subsequently requiring a lengthy stint on the sidelines to heal from injuries — “Action Man” was looking to bounce back at the expense of Roman Kopylov.

    He was unable to do so, however, with the Russian emerging victorious from a highly entertaining affair. The end came by way of a perfectly timed head kick that saw Curtis stopped with just one second remaining on the clock.

    Though the American was furious with the stoppage and berated referee Mark Smith, the knockdown had no doubt sealed a certain decision victory for Kopylov had the scorecards been required.

    That was seemingly acknowledged by Curtis, who made no mention or complaint of the finish during his first post-fight statement on Instagram. The 37-year-old instead spoke on his own failure to have his hand raised, and he admitted the result may have signaled the end of his journey at 185 pounds.


    “Only job in the world where you can make 200k in a night and still be absolutely heartbroken and questioning where you go from here. No damage, I’m fine. Probably train tomorrow for my sanity but just frustrated and heartbroken. 8 months off. Hamstring tear, broken foot and then a calf tear. Trained through it all. Never lost sight of the goal. Just hurts to come up short. Thank you to everyone who reached out, have had a lot of love online and in person, it means the world to me. I guess I should take some comfort in fight of the night, but I only view tonight as a failure.

    “Maybe 170 is the way to go from here. Rest this weekend and I guess we have a talk with the team and management about what comes next. It thanks again to @mickmaynard2 for the opportunity to do what I love. I’m not sure who or where I would be without this. Thank you to the @ufcpi , you guys put me back together 3 times this year. It was an incredibly hard road back, but @gav_pratt and @heatherlinden and their teams really went above and beyond for me, and I will never not be grateful for that. For now, thankfully, we are uninjured and healthy. We work on figuring out what comes next.”

    The fact he took home an additional $50,000 for earning Fight of the Night honors was evidently of little consolation for Curtis, who now has just one win across his last five fights.

    Curtis began his UFC career with a 3-0 run that included memorable knockouts of Phil Hawes and Allen.

    Having subsequently failed to achieve similar consistency after breaking into the rankings, “Action Man” could return to the welterweight division, where he previously held a number of regional titles and fought at under the PFL banner.

  • ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    ‘Horrible Stoppage’ – Fans React As Roman Kopylov Head Kicks Chris Curtis For Controversial Buzzer-Beater At UFC Vegas 101

    The first major fight controversy of 2025 has taken place at UFC Vegas 101 — the promotion’s first card of the year. And, of course, it had to involve Chris Curtis.

    In a jaw-dropping finish, “Action Man” was stopped by Roman Kopylov with just one second remaining in the contest.

    Both athletes brought fire in their striking during the first round. The Russian seemed to have the upper hand, but Curtis appeared to be gaining momentum as time went on.

    That stretched into the second, as the American continued his production, having landed over 100 significant strikes on his foe within the fight’s first 10 minutes.

    Kopylov was not deterred and had his own surge of momentum in the third round. But just as everything seemed to be wrapped up with the judges to present the scores, the Russian landed a head kick that badly rocked Curtis.

    Referee Marc Smith, with just one second remaining in the bout, stepped in and waved off the fight, giving Kopylov a victory via finish.

    Roman Kopylov Controversially Finishes Chris Curtis With One Second Left At UFC Vegas 101

    https://twitter.com/LhileDhonkheh/status/1878252122229055698
    https://twitter.com/JakeGerberMMA/status/1878253637182296280
    https://twitter.com/HomelanderMMA/status/1878251020167319719
    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1878253587874320637

    Kopylov has now won back-to-back fights and six of his last seven.

    Curtis, meanwhile, has won just one of his last five fights.

  • UFC Middleweight Contender Recalls Turning Down Alex Pereira Fight In 2022: ‘I Was Like, F*ck No’

    UFC Middleweight Contender Recalls Turning Down Alex Pereira Fight In 2022: ‘I Was Like, F*ck No’

    UFC middleweight contender Chris Curtis has no issue proclaiming his decision to turn down an offer to share the cage with Alex Pereira a number of years ago.

    Pereira has carved a path of destruction to championship gold since debuting on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in 2021, leaving a number of unconscious bodies in his way.

    The former two-division Glory Kickboxing kingpin has repeated his multi-weight feat from the striking-only sport inside the cage, collecting both the middleweight and light heavyweight belts in the space of his first seven fights.

    And 2024 marked his most violent year in the UFC to date, with “Poatan” recording three knockouts of Jamahal Hill, Jiří Procházka, and Khalil Rountree to cement his grip on the 205-pound crown.

    That run of results has only enhanced Pereira’s reputation as a feared knockout artist. And a middleweight fighter, for one, wanted no part of the Brazilian’s famed left hook.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Curtis recalled giving the UFC a firm “no” when Pereira’s name was proposed to him back in 2022.

    “I don’t usually say no unless your name’s Alex Pereira, then I’ve definitely said no,” Curtis said. “Outside of that, I’m just here to fight people. So whatever comes up, comes up. I just want to have fun fights.

    “They offered me that fight before Bruno Silva, the Bruno Silva fight, or maybe it’s the one Sean (Strickland) took and they offered it to us first,” Curtis continued. “I was like, ‘F*ck no. I’m not fighting him on like, kind of short notice.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way.’ Because not only do I not want to fight him – I’m not doing it on short notice.”

    Curtis, who was formerly ranked at 185 pounds, is set to kick off his 2025 campaign this weekend at the Apex. On the first UFC card of the year, “Action Man” will do battle with the highly regarded Roman Kopylov.

    Pereira, meanwhile, is without a fight date in the calendar. While many expect him to face the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev next, “Poatan’s” most recent remarks saw him point to a different assignment.

  • UFC Vegas 101 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Dern vs. Ribas 2, Curtis vs. Kopylov, & More

    UFC Vegas 101 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Dern vs. Ribas 2, Curtis vs. Kopylov, & More

    UFC Vegas 101 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming event takes place Saturday, January 11, at the Apex in Enterprise, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 PM ET/3 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be top 10 strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas, with the former looking to avenge the first defeat of her professional career from back in 2019.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see two veterans collide in Santiago Ponzinibbio and Carlston Harris. And also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Chris Curtis, Abdul Razak Alhassan, and Christian Rodriguez

    UFC Vegas 101: Dern vs. Ribas 2 Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 101 (as of 1/6), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Mackenzie Dern (+180) vs. Amanda Ribas (-218)
    • Santiago Ponzinibbio (-110) vs. Carlston Harris (-110)
    • César Almeida (-298) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (+240)
    • Chris Curtis (+220) vs. Roman Kopylov (-270)
    • Christian Rodriguez (+218) vs. Austin Bashi (-265)
    • Punahele Soriano (+164) vs. Uroš Medić (-198)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Jose Johnson (-192) vs. Felipe Bunes (+160)
    • Marco Tulio (-500) vs. Ihor Potieria (+280)
    • Thiago Moisés (-198) vs. Trey Ogden (+164)
    • Preston Parsons (+280) vs. Jacobe Smith (-355)
    • Ernesta Kareckaite (-298) vs. Nicolle Caliari (+240)
    • Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (-225) vs. Bruno Lopes (+185)
    • Fatima Kline (-800) vs. Victoria Dudakova (+550)
    • Nurullo Aliev (-425) vs. Joe Solecki (+330)
  • Chris Curtis Accuses UFC Vegas 101 Opponent Of Underhanded Tactics: ‘Couple Weeks Ago, 2 Russians Show Up…’

    Chris Curtis Accuses UFC Vegas 101 Opponent Of Underhanded Tactics: ‘Couple Weeks Ago, 2 Russians Show Up…’

    It seems that Roman Kopylov is doing everything he can to gain an advantage over Chris Curtis ahead of their middleweight clash at UFC Vegas 101 next month.

    MMA’s leading promotion will kick off its schedule for 2025 with a UFC Fight Night at the Apex in Las Vegas on Jan. 11, where Kopylov and Curtis make up one of the undercard matchups.

    Both men will no doubt be keen to start the new year on the front foot with a victory, but the Russian appears to have gone to extreme lengths to boost his chances.

    Curtis recently accused his rival of planting spies in his camp, writing on his Instagram Stories that two Russian fighters joined Xtreme Couture before leaving and linking up with Kopylov upon his arrival in “Sin City.”

    “Couple weeks ago, 2 Russians show up looking to be part of the team,” Curtis wrote. “After 2 weeks they vanish as soon as Kopylov comes to town and are now training together. Scumbag move Kopylov.”

    Whether or not the pair’s insight into Curtis’ preparation will aid Kopylov remains to be seen.

    But the incident will likely add some extra heat to this bout, which is among those setting the stage for the main event rematch between strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Chris Curtis Added To First 2025 Lineup

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards.

    With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    Between Monday, September 30, and Sunday, October 6, a couple of notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

    A number of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

  • Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    The UFC 307 pay-per-view this fall has its latest confirmed fight, and it’ll see Chris Curtis defend his middleweight ranking against the always entertaining Kevin Holland.

    While not confirmed, the promotion is expected to stage its October 5 numbered event in Salt Lake City, Utah. Should that come to fruition, Curtis and Holland will be among those taking to the cage in high altitude.

    The middleweight bout was confirmed by Curtis’ management team, Iridium Sports Agency, on Monday. The announcement marks the second addition to the lineup, joining a crucial featherweight scrap between Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling.

    Holland Targets Second Straight Middleweight Win Against Ranked Curtis

    When they throw down in a few months’ time, Curtis and Holland will be doing so off the back of different fortunes last time out.

    The matchup marks a comeback from injury for Curtis (31-11, 1 NC), who played his part in a Fight of the Year contender opposite Brendan Allen earlier this year before tearing his hamstring in the closing moments of the five-round main event. While confident he deserved the nod and his second straight triumph months on from a win over Marc-André Barriault in Canada, two of the judges ultimately ruled the way of “All In.”

    Having had his calls for a showdown with former title challenger Paulo Costa evidently fall on deaf ears, the #15-ranked middleweight contender will instead face Holland (26-11, 1 NC) at UFC 307.

    “Trailblazer’s” year didn’t begin on the right foot as he fell out of the welterweight rankings owing to a setback against the debuting Michael “Venom” Page at UFC 299 in Miami. With that following a defeat to Jack Della Maddalena, Holland left his losing skid at 170 pounds and returned to the middleweight division on short notice at UFC 302 last month.

    And “Big Mouth” bounced back emphatically in Newark, submitting the experienced Michał Oleksiejczuk with a gruesome armbar just over 90 seconds into their contest.

    Kevin Holland & Michał Oleksiejczuk
    Image: Chris Unger/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • MMA News Today: Conor McGregor Has ‘Eyes On’ BKFC Move After Seeing Out UFC Contract, Magomed Ankalaev Talks Neutralizing ‘Aggressive’ Francis Ngannou During Sparring, & More

    MMA News Today: Conor McGregor Has ‘Eyes On’ BKFC Move After Seeing Out UFC Contract, Magomed Ankalaev Talks Neutralizing ‘Aggressive’ Francis Ngannou During Sparring, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 18, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • McGregor teases BKFC future
    • Ankalaev was forced to shut Ngannou down
    • Curtis doubles down on Costa call-out

    Conor McGregor Says Competing In BKFC Could Be An Option After UFC Run

    Conor McGregor has completed his first press conference for BKFC since becoming a part-owner of the promotion in April.

    He spoke ahead of BKFC 67 where “The Notorious” seemed to suggest that part of his investment in this company could see him take off the gloves and jump in the ring.

    McGregor, who is still expected to make his long-awaited UFC return later this year against Michael Chandler, told the media that he has two fights left on his current deal.

    Referring to the fighters that are set to compete on October 12 in Marbella, he said that he’s not just here to talk about these athletes but potentially mix it up with them also.

    “For me, I’ve a bit of business left with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, two fights left on my contract but for sure, we’ve got three lightweights up here on the deas and you know I have my eye on all of this. I’m not up here just as an owner, player-manager I’ll title myself on this one.”

    https://twitter.com/oocmma/status/1813909981617619434

    Magomed Ankalaev Recalls Heated Sparring Session With Francis Ngannou

    During a recent appearance on the Badaev Podcast, light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev told a story about an encounter that he had with Francis Ngannou.

    Ankalaev claims that the two men sparred with one another some time ago until the former UFC heavyweight champion started to become overly aggressive towards him.

    He was left with no option but to try and avoid any danger by grabbing hold of his sparring partner until the end of the round.

    Ankalaev also states that he believes the reason Ngannou was going so hard at him in sparring was because he had knocked out one of his friends back in 2019.

    “I saw that [Ngannou] wanted to drop me. He was generally aggressive. I quickly went to his feet, put him down and held him. I was waiting for the time to run out so I could say ‘don’t come near me again’. Then we found out the reason – it turns out he is a friend of [Dalcha] Lungiambula whom I had knocked out before.”

    Chris Curtis Calls To Fight Paulo Costa And Says It Will Be Much More Entertaining Than Costa’s Fight With Sean Strickland

    Chris Curtis is continuing to call for a fight with former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa for his next outing.

    In a recent interview on MMA Junkie Radio, “Action Man” said that a match-up between himself and Costa would be a much more entertaining affair than Costa’s last outing against Curtis’s friend and teammate, Sean Strickland.

    Curtis reflected how he studied “Borrachinha” extensively for that fight but the styles simply didn’t gel well in the co-main event of UFC 302.

    He believes that he and Costa would make for a far better watch because unlike Strickland, he will be willing to stand in front of the Brazilian to trade strikes.

    “I cornered Sean that fight. When he took that fight…I literally went back, watched all of the Costa fights, and I had like a freakin’ four-page bulletin report on what to do…everything that Costa does, when he does it, why I think he does it,” Curtis said. “I just think it’s a fight that I match up well with.

    “Costa’s usually a really fun guy to watch but the Strickland fight was just weird for him because Sean’s a weird guy to fight,” Curtis continued. “I think me and Costa, I think we can just sit there and beat on each other until somebody falls, and I’m okay with that. Sean doesn’t want to fight that way. He’s not trying to get his head bust in. I will gladly stand in front of you and we will just swing at each other.”

    Read more on the story here.

    For more MMA news, check out:

  • Chris Curtis Insists Fight With Paulo Costa Would Be More Entertaining Than Teammate Sean Strickland’s Was

    Chris Curtis Insists Fight With Paulo Costa Would Be More Entertaining Than Teammate Sean Strickland’s Was

    UFC middleweight Chris Curtis has promised to go strike for strike with Paulo Costa should the Brazilian accept his callout post-Sean Strickland loss.

    Curtis recently returned to training after recovering from the hamstring tear he sustained last time out, and he’s after a big-name fight this fall.

    Prior to suffering the severe injury in the closing moments against Brendan Allen, the pair’s rematch in a UFC Fight Night main event at the Apex this past April was competitive and among the best bouts of the year thus far.

    Always looking to put on a show, “The Action Man” is hoping to replicate that barnburner in his next fight, and he has just the opponent in mind…

    Curtis Reiterates Costa Callout, Promises Barnburner After Strickland Snoozer

    During a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, Curtis reiterated his desire to fight former title challenger Paulo Costa.

    “Borrachinha’s” stock took a hit at UFC 302 last month when he fell short in a lackluster five-round affair with Curtis’ teammate, ex-champ Sean Strickland.

    Should Costa accept a clash in the cage with Strickland’s fellow Xtreme Couture standout, however, he can seemingly expect a dancing partner ready and willing to throw down in the middle of the Octagon.

    “I cornered Sean that fight. When he took that fight…I literally went back, watched all of the Costa fights, and I had like a freakin’ four-page bulletin report on what to do…everything that Costa does, when he does it, why I think he does it,” Curtis said. “I just think it’s a fight that I match up well with.

    “Costa’s usually a really fun guy to watch but the Strickland fight was just weird for him because Sean’s a weird guy to fight,” Curtis continued. “I think me and Costa, I think we can just sit there and beat on each other until somebody falls, and I’m okay with that. Sean doesn’t want to fight that way. He’s not trying to get his head bust in. I will gladly stand in front of you and we will just swing at each other.”

    Curtis initially shared his interest in keeping Xtreme Couture’s eyes locked on Costa the day after the UFC 302 event in Newark. “The Action Man” respectfully offered to throw down with the Brazilian after sympathizing with his struggles against Strickland.

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1797679068017778918

  • Chris Curtis Out Of UFC 273, Du Plessis Now Faces Anthony Hernandez

    Chris Curtis has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 273 fight against Dricus Du Plessis.

    According to MMAFighting’s Mike Heck, Curtis had to pull out but Du Plessis will now face Anthony Hernandez at UFC 273 on April 9 in Jacksonville. Hernandez was supposed to fight Albert Duraev, but the Russian was also forced off the card, MMAFighting reports.

    Chris Curtis (28-8) made his long-awaited UFC debut back in November at UFC 268 and he scored an upset first-round knockout over Phil Hawes. He then returned three weeks later and TKO’d Brendan Allen in another upset win. The 34-year-old went 6-0 in 2021 and before signing in the UFC fought for promotions like PFL, XMMA, and CES among others. He also competed on the Contender Series and got a third-round KO but was not offered a contract.

    Dricus Du Plessis (16-2) is also 2-0 in the UFC and coming off a vicious KO win over Trevin Giles back at UFC 264. In his debut, he scored a first-round KO over Markus Perez. Before signing with the Las Vegas-based promotion, he was the EFC welterweight and middleweight champion. He also held the KSW welterweight title.

    With Curtis being out, Du Plessis will now face Anthony Hernandez, who’s 8-2 as a pro and coming off a massive upset win over Rodolfo Vieira via submission back at UFC 258. He’s currently just 2-2 in the UFC with his other win over Jun Yong Park while his losses were to Kevin Holland Markus Perez.

    With Du Plessis now facing Hernandez, UFC 273 is as follows:

    • Alex Volkanovski vs. Korean Zombie
    • Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev
    • Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres
    • Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov
    • Ian Garry vs. Darian Weeks
    • Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Marcin Tybura
    • Irene Aladana vs. Aspen Ladd
    • Vinc Pichel vs. Mark O. Madsen
    • Dricus Du Plessis vs. Anthony Hernandez
    • Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker
    • Mike Malott vs. Mickey Gall
    • Julio Arce vs. Daniel Santos
    • Kay Hansen vs. Piera Rodriguez

    Who do you think will win, Dricus Du Plessis or Anthony Hernandez?

  • After Six-Fight 2021, Chris Curtis Wants A Seven-Fight 2022

    Chris Curtis wants his 2022 to be even more active than his inhuman 2021.

    Curtis fought his way into the UFC last year and had a strong start in the promotion, although that was only part of his 2021 story.

    Curtis fought six times in the year in total, scoring four wins on the regional scene from January to July before joining the UFC roster. His momentum only continued from there, stopping Phil Hawes at UFC 268 and then defeating Brendan Allen only a month later.

    Most fighters don’t get the chance to fight six times in a year, and many are lucky enough to get three in. But after landing that high number of fights, Curtis says he wants to do even more in 2022.

    “I got six fights in last year, I want to get seven fights in this year,” said Curtis in an interview with The Schmo. “Fighting at 185 [pounds] means I don’t have to cut a lot of weight. Everything’s good. If I can stay healthy, I want to get seven wins this year. That’s the plan.”

    Curtis To Start 2022 Run Against Du Plessis

    Chris Curtis and Dricus Du Plessis
    Chris Curtis and Dricus Du Plessis (Photo Credit: Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC & Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

    Curtis’ plan to potentially fight six times starts on April 9 when he faces Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 273. After being listed as an underdog for his first two UFC appearances, Curtis hopes that won’t be the case this third time.

    “I better not be an underdog [in] this fight. Both of my [UFC] wins are better than both of his wins. I’m gonna be pissed,” he said.

    As referenced by Curtis, Du Plessis has also only fought twice in the UFC. His run has been similarly explosive, stopping Markus Perez in 2020 and defeating Trevin Giles last year. Du Plessis was set to potentially score a big win in December when paired against Andre Muniz. However, that plan fizzled out after Du Plessis reportedly suffered an injury.

    Do you think the momentum of Chris Curtis can keep on going?

  • Chris Curtis To Face Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 273

    The “Action Man” is set to return in April.

    Veteran Chris Curtis is expected to return at UFC’s April 9th pay-per-view event, facing Dricus Du Plessis in a middleweight matchup. The fight has joined the UFC 273 card, per a report from Shaun Al-Shatti and Mike Heck of MMA Fighting.

    The fight joins a growing PPV card that doesn’t have a confirmed location at the moment.

    Curtis will be attempting to build upon a strong run that started on the regional scene in 2020 and has brought him to the UFC.

    Chris Curtis attained a strong five-fight winning streak from early 2020 to July 2021, with four of those wins coming via stoppage. This earned him the UFC call, as he stepped in on short notice to face Phil Hawes.

    Curtis prevailed in that matchup, stopping Hawes late in the first round of a fight at UFC 268. He wrapped up the year by earning another paycheck, scoring a finish win against Brendan Allen in December.

    A win in April would move the middleweight veteran’s win streak to eight consecutive fights.

    Du Plessis Searching For Third Win

    Dricus Du Plessis to Face Andre Muniz at UFC 269
    Dricus Du Plessis

    Like Curtis, Du Plessis has yet to lose since joining the UFC roster. The former KSW welterweight champion made his promotional debut in October 2020, stopping Markus Perez in the first round with strikes.

    Du Plessis’ last appearance was a big win, stopping the three-fight winning streak of Trevin Giles with strikes.

    Du Plessis was at one point matched against André Muniz for a UFC card in December, although that matchup didn’t come to fruition.

    UFC 273 currently has two title fights set for the top of the lineup. In the main event, UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski is scheduled to face The Korean Zombie.

    Here’s the updated lineup:

    Featherweight Title Bout: Alexander Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie

    Bantamweight Title Bout: Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan

    Bantamweight Bout: Irene Aldana vs. Aspen Ladd

    Middleweight Bout: Chris Curtis vs. Dricus Du Plessis

    Featherweight Bout: Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker

    Welterweight Bout: Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott

    Heavyweight Bout: Jairzinho Rozenstruick vs. Marcin Tybura

    Strawweight Bout: Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres

    Middleweight Bout: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov

    Lightweight Bout: Vinc Pichel vs. Mark O. Madsen

    Who do you have in this middleweight clash?