Chris Curtis Makes a Quick Turnaround, Faces Nassourdine Imavov at UFC 289

Chris Curtis Makes a Quick Turnaround, Faces Nassourdine Imavov at UFC 289

Liam Lindsay|
April 19, 2023|
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A huge fight between Middleweights Nassourdine Imavov and Chris Curtis has been confirmed for UFC 289 in Vancouver, Canada, on June 10th, per Mike Heck Jr via Twitter.

This fight takes place in the Middleweight (185 lbs) division.

Nassourdine "Russian Sniper" Imavov is ranked #12 at Middleweight and holds a professional record of 12-4 (4-2 UFC), with notable wins against Joaquin Buckley, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Jordan Williams.

Chris "Action Man" Curtis holds a professional record of 30-10 (4-2 UFC) and is ranked #15 at Middleweight. He holds credible wins over Brendan Allen, Phil Hawes, and Andre Fialho.

Official odds have yet to be released.

Nassourdine Imavov is coming off his first UFC main event bout against short-notice opponent Sean Strickland. Imavov would be outstruck throughout five rounds and lose the bout via decision. He was initially scheduled to face Kelvin Gastelum, but Strickland replaced him, and the bout was fought at Light-Heavyweight. Despite this loss, Imavov has very technical striking and great wrestling, and he'll be looking to use these skills against Curtis.

Nassourdine Imavov eating a straight against Sean Strickland in his first UFC main event. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC.
Nassourdine Imavov eating a straight against Sean Strickland in his first UFC main event. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC.

Chris Curtis is coming off a controversial Fight of The Night decision loss to Kelvin Gastelum. Curtis had a competitive bout with Gastelum but was illegally headbutted in the second round. The referee did not see the foul, and the bout continued, causing Curtis to lose the round and eventually the fight. However, "The Action Man" proved that he could hang with the top contenders in this bout and will have a quick turnaround in June, where he'll look to use his elite striking to get back into the win column.

Chris Curtis throwing against Kelvin Gastelum in their FOTN bout at UFC 287. Credits to: Rich Storry - USA TODAY Sports.
Chris Curtis throwing against Kelvin Gastelum in their FOTN bout at UFC 287. Credits to: Rich Storry - USA TODAY Sports.

This is an exciting matchup inside the Middleweight division. So who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.

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