Brendan Allen won a split decision against Chris Curtis in the UFC Vegas 90 main event, avenging a previous knockout loss to Curtis and securing his seventh consecutive victory.
Brendan Allen’s rematch with Chris Curtis was a sight to behold. The UFC Vegas 90 main event ended with Allen securing a hard-fought split decision win.
Originally, Allen was set to face Marvin Vettori. An injury, however, forced Vettori to bow out, and Curtis stepped in on short notice. The two had a history – Curtis had knocked out Allen in a previous match in 2021. But this time, it was a 25-minute war, with both fighters having their moments.
Allen’s win came from his ability to dominate positions with his grappling. A final exchange, where he unleashed a barrage of shots, sealed the deal. The judges’ scores were close – two went 49-46 and 48-47 for Allen, while the third scored 48-47 for Curtis.
This win marked Allen’s seventh consecutive victory. He’s climbing the rankings at 185 pounds. About Curtis, Allen said, “Chris is tough as s***. He’s short, it’s tough to get shots on him. Short notice, hats off to Chris.”
Allen started the fight strong, landing a nasty body kick and a slick takedown. He managed to take Curtis’ back, but Curtis scrambled free. Curtis tried to close the distance, but Allen’s jab kept him at bay.
Allen’s striking was impressive, especially in the second round. He tagged Curtis with several stinging shots. A hard left hand during one exchange had Curtis backing off. But Allen didn’t rush for the finish. He measured his punches, looking for the best opening. Curtis responded with body combinations and headshots.
Curtis managed to draw Allen into a brawl, landing more shots. Midway through the third round, he clipped Allen, causing him to wobble. But Allen quickly countered with a takedown.
Allen jumped on Curtis’ back, forcing him to defend against submission attempts. In the fourth round, Curtis invited more boxing exchanges. Allen, however, dragged the fight to the ground, gaining control and working his way to mount Curtis.
In the final round, Allen relied on his grappling. Curtis defended well, refusing to give up a bad position. He looked fresher, but couldn’t keep Allen off his legs. Allen took him down again, taking his back.
Curtis escaped, but time was running out. Allen exploded forward with a jumping knee and a flurry of strikes, closing the fight emphatically. Replays showed Curtis suffering a hamstring injury in the final exchange. He didn’t drop until the fight was over.
Curtis had to be helped by his coaches after the fight. He left the octagon and the arena on a stretcher. No immediate update was available on his condition.
As for Allen, he celebrated a gritty win over an opponent who had previously knocked him out. With seven straight wins, he’s eyeing a title shot or a chance to avenge his only other UFC loss.
“Where’s that title shot?” Allen shouted. “Ain’t nobody got the streak I got. What’s up? Dricus [du Plessis] you know I’m going to whoop that ass. Come get this business. If I can’t get Dricus, Sean [Strickland] let’s run it back.”