"It's been real" - Chris Curtis reveals lengthy recovery layoff after suffering hamstring tear during UFC Vegas 90 fight
Chris Curtis has suggested that he could be sidelined for a significant period of time after the injury he recently suffered.
'The Action Man' is coming off a razor-thin split decision defeat in his rematch against Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 90 (April 6, 2024). Their first encounter witnessed Curtis beat Allen via second-round TKO at UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Aldo in Dec. 2021.
The UFC had originally booked Allen to fight Marvin Vettori in the main event of UFC Vegas 90. However, in mid-March 2024, Vettori withdrew from the matchup due to an injury, and Curtis stepped in to face 'All In' on short notice.
In their rematch at UFC Vegas 90, Curtis appeared to have considerable success in the striking realm, whereas Allen seemed to have the upper hand in the grappling department. It's believed that in round two of the five-round bout, 'The Action Man' injured his hamstring. The injury worsened as the match progressed, and the Ohio-born athlete tore his hamstring in round five.
Ultimately, Brendan Allen bagged a split decision victory, per the judges' scorecards. He's now leveled his series of fights with Chris Curtis, one apiece. While certain sections of the MMA community strongly disapproved of the judges scoring the fight for 'All In,' the losing fighter's injury emerged as a hot-button topic in the event's aftermath.
Curtis subsequently put forth a series of tweets revealing that he suffered a Grade 3 tear in his hamstring. The 36-year-old indicated that his injury layoff could be around four to six months. The striking savant expressed gratitude toward his supporters and hinted at a return in the fall. Among the American MMA stalwart's tweets, one read as follows:
"Well, looks like I'll see you guys in 6 months or so. It's been real. Thank you, guys, for all the thoughts, messages, encouragement, concern, and prayers. Means the world to me. See you all in the fall."
Check out the screenshots of some of Chris Curtis' tweets below:
Chris Curtis sends message to Brendan Allen after UFC Vegas 90 defeat
Following his win over Chris Curtis, Brendan Allen called out UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Marvin Vettori soon weighed in and scoffed at Allen's call-outs.
Meanwhile, Curtis posted a photo with friends and family on Instagram and a statement in which he congratulated 'All In'. He notably highlighted that he'd like to face Allen in a trilogy fight.
Curtis believes he deserved the judges' nod more than Allen. The No.14-ranked UFC middleweight also referenced the hamstring injury, which he eventually provided updates on via his tweets. An excerpt from Curtis' Instagram post reads as follows:
"Love you brotha and enjoy the night. But remember, it's 1-1, you owe me the trilogy lol."