In a surprising turn of events, the highly anticipated rematch between Brendan Allen and Chris Curtis at UFC Vegas 90 left many in the MMA community calling it the “Fight of the Year.” Despite the intense and hard-fought battle between the two fighters, the bout did not win the Fight of the Night bonus, much to the confusion and disappointment of fans and fighters across the board.
The official scorecard revealed that Brendan Allen was able to avenge his previous loss to Chris Curtis with a hard-fought split-decision win in the main event of UFC Vegas 90 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The back-and-forth nature of the fight, along with the skill and determination displayed by both fighters, led to widespread praise and recognition for their efforts inside the Octagon.
Following the fight, Chris Curtis had to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher due to a leg injury that he sustained in the final 30 seconds of the bout. Despite the injury, Curtis fought with heart and determination until the very end, leaving a lasting impression on both fans and fellow fighters within the MMA community.
Despite the overwhelming sentiment that Allen vs. Curtis 2 should have been awarded the Fight of the Night bonus, the UFC ultimately chose to award the featherweight bout between Chepe Mariscal and Morgan Charriere as the winner. The split decision victory for Mariscal in a closely contested matchup led to some controversy and debate over whether the right decision was made in selecting the Fight of the Night winner.
While both Mariscal and Charriere will receive bonuses for their efforts in the Octagon, many in the MMA community felt that Curtis and Allen were deserving of recognition for their impressive performance. The omission of the Fight of the Year deserving bout from the bonus pool added insult to injury for Curtis, who reportedly suffered a torn hamstring during the fight. This injury may keep Curtis out of action for an extended period, making the missed bonus even more disappointing for the talented middleweight fighter.
Despite the outcome, Chris Curtis and Brendan Allen can be proud of their performance in the Octagon and the recognition they received from fans and fellow fighters for their epic battle at UFC Vegas 90. The controversial decision to award the Fight of the Night bonus to a different bout has sparked discussion and debate within the MMA community, highlighting the subjective nature of judging and bonuses in the sport. As Curtis focuses on his recovery from injury and Allen savors his hard-fought victory, the MMA community will continue to debate the merits of different fights and the criteria used to award bonuses in the UFC.
