With just a week to go before the highly anticipated UFC 300 PPV, fight fans can indulge themselves in the meantime with a surprisingly stacked UFC Fight Night 240 card. The 13-fight schedule is set to unfold at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, this Saturday.
In a last-minute twist, Chris Curtis steps into the spotlight as the late replacement for Marvin Vettori, answering the call on short notice to square off against former foe Brendan Allen in a bad-blood headliner. ‘Action Man’ overcame an early onslaught from Allen during the pair’s first meeting in December 2021, with Curtis rallying in the second round to secure a TKO over ‘All In’ Allen. Since his humbling defeat, however, the South Carolinian has since embarked on an impressive six-win streak and will be keen for redemption against a wily divisional veteran.
As always at Pintsized Interests, we have dug deep into the stats, tape and everything in-between to bring you our predictions for each bout on this weekend’s UFC card. Join us as we analyse the matchups and offer our expert insights – and give us hell in the comments below if you disagree with us!
Chris Curtis vs Brendan Allen | Middleweight Main Event
Brendan Allen may be sitting pretty on his six-win streak, but questions remains on whether the 28-year-old can bury his ego ahead of his rematch against Chris Curtis. The North Carolinian submission specialist opted for gung-ho aggression in the pair’s first meeting, attempting to walk down the veteran with heavy overhands. Curtis, an exceptional defensive boxer in the pocket, comfortably evaded the incoming strikes and conserved his energy. A visibly tired Allen by the second round was unable to muster the strength to panic wrestle, eventually being stopped with strikes against the cage.
Over the past two years, Allen has ironed out his striking to pose a legitimate threat. None of his recent opponents, however, represent as talented a boxer as Chris Curtis. The 36-year-old’s last statement performance may come against Joaquin Buckley in December 2022, but the American has shown bright sparked during a string of tough stylistic match-ups. Even in Curtis’ points defeats to Jack Hermansson and Kelvin Gastelum, he showcased exceptional TDD – denying nine total takedown attempts. While Allen’s ability to find a takedown in the clinch poses an interesting dynamic, I expect history to repeat itself.
Curtis vs Allen Prediction: Curtis Decision
Alexander Hernandez vs Damon Jackson | Featherweight Co-Main Event
As any long-time Pintsized fans know, I am an unabashed fan of Alexander Hernandez. Now going by the nickname, “The Great Ape”, the 31-year-old has settled snugly into his role as Featherweight gatekeeper. Despite only recording three knockouts over his 12-fight UFC career, Hernandez carries early-round firepower that has the ability to stop elite opponents – just ask Beneil Dariush. For all the experience that Hernandez has accumulated over his career, the wrestle-boxer is yet to find a comfortable pace he can sustain throughout three rounds.
Cardio issues are a major red flag when facing the granite chinned Damon Jackson. Hernandez will likely enjoy a substantial advantage on the feet early, but he lacks the educated striking to force a finish. The former LFA Featherweight champion has only been stopped by the fiercest punchers at 145lbs, Ilia Topuria and Dan Ige. If Jackson can survive until the second-round, then the 35-year-old will be able to dominate the contest on the mat.
Hernandez vs Jackson Prediction: Jackson Submission Round 3
Morgan Charrière vs Jose ‘Chepe’ Mariscal | Featherweight Main Card
Frenchman, Morgan Charrière, offers far more than just a ice-cold nickname. ‘The Last Pirate’ showcased explosive striking during his UFC debut last September, folding Manolo Zecchini in under a round with a lethal series of body kicks. It was a display that also featured a surprise calm in the pocket, blunting the Italian’s wild advances with single straight counters.
A similar patience on the feet will be required to effectively handle the bull rushing aggression of Jose ‘Chepe’ Mariscal. The Coloradan slugger is no stranger to breaking a parlay in the UFC, having already beaten fan favourite Trevor Peek and bookies favourite Jack Jenkins in consecutive octagon appearances. Still, it is fair to say that Mariscal’s ceiling is limited. While the ‘Machine Gun’ owns an impressive resume, having faced Joanderson Brito, Gregor Gillespie, and Bryce Mitchell, he remains a defensively lax striker who relies on clinching to avoid damage.
Charrière vs Mariscal Prediction: Charrière Decision
UFC Fight Night 240 Rest of the Main Card Picks
Ignacio Bahamondes vs Christos Giagos Prediction: Bahamondes TKO Round 3
Lukasz Brzeski vs Valter Walker Prediction: Walker TKO Round 1
Trevor Peek vs Charlie Campbell Prediction: Campbell Decision
UFC Fight Night 240 Prelims Picks
Court McGee vs Alex Morono Prediction: Morono Decision
Norma Dumont vs Germaine de Randamie Prediction: Dumont Decision
Pedro Falcao vs Victor Hugo Prediction: Hugo Decision
Cynthia Calvillo vs Piera Rodriguez Prediction: Rodriguez Decision
Jean Matsumoto vs Dan Argueta Prediction: Matsumoto Decision
Dylan Budka vs Cesar Almeida Prediction: Budka Submission Round 2
Melissa Tonya Mullins vs Nora Cornolle Prediction: Mullins Decision
Leave a Reply