Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis: What happened when the middleweights fought at UFC Vegas 44?

Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis is a rematch that hardly anyone could have predicted for UFC Fight Night 240. The two had previously crossed swords at UFC Vegas 44, an event that saw Allen taste defeat in brutal fashion. The two middleweights told a classic grappler vs. striker tale.

When it came to the mat, Allen held an overwhelming advantage, while Curtis was by far the better standup fighter. However, despite Allen's best attempts to impose his grappling-heavy game, Curtis proved extremely difficult for him to control. In fact, 'All In' failed on every single takedown he attempted.

In round two, the fight ended in disastrous fashion for him. Curtis had him with his back to the fence before unloading with a combination. 'The Action Man' flicked his jab as a distraction from the follow-up left hook to the body. Since Curtis' right hand was low, Allen sought to capitalize with a counterpunch.

Check out Chris Curtis TKO'ing Brendan Allen:

Unfortunately for 'All In,' he wasn't fast enough, as Curtis beat him to the punch with a right hook that rocked him badly mid-punch. Allen stumbled and Curtis pounced with a vicious flurry, battering him with punches and knees until his foe melted against the fence, and the referee pulled him away from a collapsed Allen.

The pair will lock horns again due to an ill-timed injury forcing Marvin Vettori to withdraw from his bout with 'All In,' allowing 'The Action Man' to step in as a short-notice replacement for an April 6 matchup. For Allen, the bout is a crack at redemption.

Meanwhile, for Curtis, it is a chance to face a familiar foe as he tries to build a win streak.

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Chris Curtis stands the chance to snap Brendan Allen's win streak

Brendan Allen has improved leaps and bounds since he and Chris Curtis last fought. He is currently at the helm of a six-fight win streak, with five of his wins coming via submission, including submission wins over exceptional grapplers like Paul Craig, Bruno Silva, and Andre Muniz.

If Curtis manages to beat him again, he will put an end to one of the most exciting win streaks in the middleweight division today. However, this isn't the only reason the bout is risky for Allen. Not only could he lose his win streak to someone who has already beaten him, but it is a massive risk to his current rank.

Allen is on the cusp of the top five, while Curtis is barely in the top 15. For the #6 middleweight to lose to the No.14 middleweight could prove disastrous.