MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC Fight Night 240.
UFC Fight Night 240 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Brendan Allen (23-5 MMA, 11-2 UFC)
Brendan Allen
Staple info:
- Height: 6’2″ Age: 28 Weight: 185 lbs. Reach: 75.5″
- Last fight: Submission win over Paul Craig (Nov. 18, 2023)
- Camp: Kill Cliff FC (Florida)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Amateur MMA accolades
+ 5 KO victories
+ 14 submission wins
+ 11 first-round finishes
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Steadily improved striking
^ Sharper techniques and combinations
+ Hard kicks and knees
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Serviceable takedown ability
+ Excellent transitional grappler
^ Dangerous chokes in transition
+/- 7-2 against UFC-level southpaws
+/- 6-2 inside the UFC Apex
Chris Curtis (31-10 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Chris Curtis
Staple info:
- Height: 5’10” Age: 36 Weight: 185 lbs. Reach: 75.5″
- Last fight: Decision win over Marc-Andre Barriault (Jan. 20, 2024)
- Camp: Xtreme Couture MMA (Las Vegas)
- Stance/striking style: Southpaw/kickboxing
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Amateur MMA accolades
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt
+ 17 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 7 first-round finishes
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Excellent boxing ability
^ Slick counters and bodywork
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Strikes well off the breaks
+ 92 percent takedown defense rating
+ Underrated grappling ability
^ Good positional awareness
+/- 2-0 inside of the UFC Apex
Point of interest: Striking the second time around
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 04: (R-L) Chris Curtis punches Brendan Allen in their middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 04, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
The main event in Las Vegas features another impromptu meeting between middleweights, Brendan Allen and Chris Curtis.
In their first meeting back in late 2021, Curtis was able to steadily close the distance gap between him and Allen, allowing “The Action Man” to punctuate his presence inside of the pocket with his patent hooks.
Although Allen was initially training for Roman Dolidze before his first encounter with Curtis, the Lousiana native has traditionally done well when it comes to striking with southpaws, officially standing at 7-2 opposite UFC-level lefties.
Unlike a lot of fighters in MMA, Allen will actually use his lead hand to jab in the open stance. Not only does this help even the playing field when it comes to southpaw advantages, but it also assists Allen’s ability to launch power kicks from the rear side.
Working for a few years with noted striking coach, Henri Hooft, Allen has noticeably sharpened his offensive striking flow and technique. That said, Allen is still not beyond being countered due to his aggressive nature, so I’ll be curious how he conducts himself this time around against Curtis.
A savvy southpaw striker who has seen a lot in this game, Curtis has been slick enough to compete with the best in this weight class despite being undersized as a former welterweight.
Working behind solid feints and a deceptively long lead, Curtis will typically look to pressure opponents into exchanges that benefit the 36-year-old veteran. And once Curtis can draw out offense from his opposition, the Xtreme Couture fighter does a good job of taking an angle and countering with punches.
Whether Curtis is landing his patent body shots or utilizing his underrated elbows and knees in close, he has proven to be dangerous with multiple tools. Curtis is also good about rolling with the punches that come his way, but he’ll need to be extra careful about doing that with a long and strong kicker like Allen.
Point of interest: Protect your neck
Oct 18, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Brendan Allen (red) fights Kevin Holland (blue) in a heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Considering Allen’s on-paper advantages, no one should be shocked if he tries to grapple with Curtis early and often.
A dogged grappler since Day 1, Allen is a skilled Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who operates with the aggression of a blue belt at their first tournament.
Whether Allen is abandoning positions for risky submissions or opting for rear-naked choke attempts without any hooks in, “All-in” has proven that he can live up to his nickname and still find success at this level. Since working with the large stable at Kill Cliff FC, Allen has