Brendan Allen was able to avenge his previous loss to Chris Curtis tonight at UFC Fight Night 240, but only by a narrow split-decision verdict after a closely contested fight.
Round One:
The middleweight main event is underway in Las Vegas.
Solid body kick from Allen to start the round. He lands another, though not as clean a connection. He backs up now as Curtis looks to land punches.
Straight punch for Allen. Now a one-two from him. Body punch for Curtis. Another punch lands upstairs, but Allen then clinches up and brings him down, taking his back immediately.
Allen has his back up against the cage and has the body triangle locked in with plenty of time to work.
Allen has five rear-naked choke finishes in his last six wins and he’s trying to work for another now, but Curtis is defending and then picks his moment to scramble out and get on top, then opts to stand up.
Nice punch lands for Allen. He thinks about a head kick but doesn’t commit to it. Curtis trying to work a counter hook and comes close with it.
Grazing hook from Allen. He steps in with a punch to the body. Curtis into range and looking for punches. Allen able to move away unscathed.
Straight punch lands for Curtis. Body kick for Allen. Jab from Curtis. Right hand for Allen. High kick attempt from Allen is blocked. Front kick to the body from Curtis as the round ends.
Round Two:
Body kick for Allen. Oblique kick from him. He goes for that again. Now a couple of right hand from Allen and then circles away.
Right hook lands for Curtis and then fires it off again. Right hand from Allen and then a blitz of punches in response from Curtis.
Head kick attempt from Allen that’s blocked in time by Curtis. Jabs from Allen and then misses on a right hook.
Curtis applying pressure and then backs off as Allen fails on a takedown attempt. Punch lands for Curtis.
One-two from Curtis, but then Allen lands nicely in return. Now Allen backs Curtis up against the cage and fires off a punch and a knee.
Curtis moving forward now and lands a punch of his own. Left hand from Curtis. Allen with a body punch and now a body kick. Curtis with a punch and Allen shakes his head and laughs it off.
Good body strike from Allen. Curtis also works to the body but Allen fires back with a counter.
Oblique kick again from Allen. Thumping body punch from Curtis. Missed right hands from him but follows through with a left hand connection.
Body punch and then one upstairs from Allen. Right hand from him and Curtis unleashes punches on the counter as the round ends.
Round Three:
One-two for Allen. Now a body kick. Jab for Allen. He lands a clean straight right. Left hand for Curtis. Grazing hook from Allen.
Left hook for Allen. Now a nice step-in elbow. Now a right hand. Low kick for Allen and a punch upstairs in response from Curtis.
Right hook from Curtis. Allen steps in with a couple of lead elbows. Left from Curtis and Allen lands too. In close Allen lands an uppercut to the head and then unfortunately Curtis suffers an accidental eyepoke.
Curtis takes some time to recover and then gets back to action.
Head kick attempt from Curtis goes whistling over Allen’s head. In close they both exchange punches. Allen taking a risk here trading in close and right on cue a big right hook from Curtis hurts Allen.
Curtis looking to capitalize but Allen swoops in for a takedown attempt. Allen shifts around to his back and hops on while leaning against the cage with the body triangle locked in.
Curtis turns into the cage as he tries to figure out a way to get Allen off him. Allen tries for the rear-naked choke, but Curtis fends it off comfortably. Allen slides off the back and lands a nice elbow strike just before the end of the round.
Round Four:
Right hand for Allen, but gets caught by a counterpunch when he doesn’t back away quick enough. Curtis pressuring, but Allen lands a punch and a kick.
Step in punch from Curtis and Allen is buckled for a moment, but then waves him in.
Jab for Curtis. He throws again, but Allen clutches his eye, believing he was poked, which forces a brief stoppage for him to recover. However, the ref quickly reviews the footage and thinks it was a punch so they are told to get right back to fighting.
Allen lands a nice takedown in the center of the Octagon. He gets the back, but it’s not long before Curtis does a very good job of exploding back to his feet.
Jab for Allen and a body punch from Curtis. Curtis with another ripping body shot. Heavy elbow from Allen hurts Curtis, but he shakes his head and gets straight back to work.
Head kick attempt from Allen almost got through the guard. Allen with a double-leg, but Curtis pops straight back up. Allen clinched to his back though and drags him to the mat. Curtis tries to scramble up again, but this time Allen stops him from doing so and ends up in mount. Big moment for Allen late in the round, but he doesn’t show much urgency to land ground-and-pound.
Round Five:
Kick from Allen. Brief exchange in close. jab for Allen. Body kick for Allen. Allen in on a takedown, but Curtis stuffs it and then throws out a knee to the head. Allen responds with a takedown and tries for a kneebar, but Curtis gets free.
Brief exchange and then Allen with a takedown attempt, but he can’t quite get it as Curtis stuffs that and forces them back upright.
Allen trying again for takedown and Curtis stuffs it again and then lands a few punches as Allen is still on his knees.
Curtis opts to stand back up and Allen looks tired as he slowly gets back up. Curtis pressing forward, but Allen finds the energy to go for another takedown attempt. Curtis trying to defend, but this time Allen does manage to get him to the mat.
Allen gets Curtis back again. Allen has had real difficulty keeping this position though and yet again Curtis is able to turn into him and stand back up.
Allen again goes for a takedown, but it doesn’t work out this time. Curtis may have hurt his leg during that scramble back to his feet though. Allen launches into a flying knee up against the cage and Curtis is hurt. Only seconds to go though as Allen tries to flurry, and Curtis stays upright to take this one to the judges.
Curtis is clutching at his hamstring in pain on the mat after the fight, having potentially tore it while escaping Allen’s final takedown attempt of the bout.
Decision:
A closely contested battle here that went right down to the wire, and in the end it’s Brendan Allen who emerges victorious via split-decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46).
