Chris Curtis (29-9) will lock horns with Joaquin Buckley (15-5) in the prelims of UFC 282. Curtis is one of the best fighters in the 185-division and has incredible stoppage victories. However, his four-fight win streak was broken by Jack Hermansson in his last fight and this weekend, Curtis will try to get back to the winning ways.
His opponent, Buckley is 5-3 in the UFC and his highlight KO of Impa Kasanganay made him a powerful competitor. ‘New Mansa’ is coming off a decision loss against Nassourdine Imavov and in this upcoming bout, he will hope to pick up another spectacular win.
Curtis vs. Buckley Stats
| Chris Curtis | Joaquin Buckley | |
| 5’10” | HEIGHT | 5’10″ |
| 185 lbs | WEIGHT | 185 lbs |
| 75″ | REACH | 76″ |
| 29-9 | RECORD | 15-5 |
| 35 | AGE | 28 |
Fight Breakdown
In his first three octagon outings, Chris Curtis showed that he can be a lethal force inside the octagon. His power and durability can break anyone down. However, in his recent fight, he seemed to have forgotten his strategy and instead brawled with Hermansson.
Curtis is a phenomenal striker and a good well-rounded fighter. His grappling is also solid but his striking is his key to winning this match. He showed in his early fights that he can stop opponents with powerful combinations and big shots. However, he will need more than that in this upcoming bout.
On the other hand, Joaquin Buckley is a dynamic and unorthodox fighter. With him, one can only guess what’s coming next. All of his pro stoppages came by knockout. He has spectacular striking skills and his speed and mobility are unmatched.
Buckley’s ability to fight from distance can keep Curtis out of the pocket. Moreover, Buckley is a fighter who will abandon his defense in order to play a dangerous fight from the inside. He is incredibly agile and has the skill set to stop Curtis in this bout, regardless of his opponents’ technical striking.
KO of the Year! 🔓
Go all angles on @NewMansa94‘s masterpiece 😳
[ #UFCFightIsland5 | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/1ywVZzin5U
— UFC (@ufc) October 10, 2020
Both fighters have the potential to get a dominant victory but Curtis is more experienced and has incredible durability. He takes the punishment to return with his counters. This is a tough matchup and I believe both of the fighters will have their moments at some point in the fight.
With a fighter like Buckley, this fight will mainly be a striking battle where he utilizes his fancy kicks to catch Curtis. However, Curtis’ setups and toughness can also be a huge factor in this bout.
