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- What: UFC Vegas 90 Main Event
- Who: Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis 2
- Date: Saturday, April 6, 2024
- Location: UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV
- Time: Prelims (3:00 p.m. ET) Main Card (6:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
The UFC is back in Las Vegas this week for UFC Vegas 90, a fight card that takes place at the UFC Apex. In the main event of that card, Brendan Allen and Chris Curtis run back their December 2021 matchup, which saw Curtis score a second-round TKO win over Allen. Allen, who is the No. 6 fighter in the official UFC middleweight rankings, has not lost since that setback, running off six straight wins, with five of those victories coming by way of submission. Meanwhile, Curtis, who is ranked at No. 14 in the UFC’s 185-pound weight class, is 3-2-0-1 since he knocked out Allen.
Brendan Allen (23-5) is a former LFA middleweight champion. The 28-year-old has found his footing since losing to Curtis. Not only is he unbeaten, but he has picked up three “Performance of the Night” bonus awards since he first faced Curtis. Allen is coming off a November 2023 submission win over Paul Craig.
Chris Curtis (31-10-0-1), who is a former CES welterweight titleholder, has had his ups and downs since defeating Allen in 2021. The 36-year-old enters UFC Vegas 90 coming off a January split decision win over Marc-Andre Barriault. Curtis replaced former UFC middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori on this card.
Before we look at the best bets for the Allen vs. Curtis 2 matchup on the UFC Vegas 90 card, check out the best UFC betting sites and our betting picks for the main event of UFC 300.
UFC Vegas 90 main event: Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis 2 betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |  |  |
| Brendan Allen | -190 | -190 | -190 | -220 | -190 |
| Chris Curtis | +165 | +165 | +160 | +160 | +160 |
Brendan Allen betting breakdown
Brendan Allen was on a three-fight winning streak when he notched an upset win over Andre Muniz at UFC Vegas 70. That victory moved the formerly unranked fighter into the top 15 of the UFC’s middleweight division. His June victory over Bruno Silva secured his spot in the top 10. Allen ran through Paul Craig in his most recent matchup, stopping him in the third round via rear-naked choke.
Allen is one of the best technical grapplers at 185 pounds. During his time rising through the ranks, Allen, who joined the UFC in 2019, was knocked for his lack of striking skills. By working with Henri Hooft, Allen has shored up his striking game and become a well-rounded MMA fighter. Allen has five career wins by knockout, 13 submission victories, and four decisions. His two losses both came under the UFC banner. Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis, who are currently teammates, both knocked him out.
Allen averages 3.87 significant strikes per minute, with an accuracy rate of 54 percent. He absorbs 3.60 significant strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 46 percent. Allen averages 1.36 takedowns per 15 minutes of action and sticks 47 percent of his takedown attempts. Allen has a takedown defense of 58 percent, and he averages 1.7 submissions per 15 minutes of UFC action.
Chris Curtis betting breakdown
If confidence can play a role in a fight, Chris Curtis will have that coming into UFC Vegas 90. After all, Curtis is the last person to beat Brendan Allen, and he did so via knockout. If one goes a little deeper into Allen’s record, one will see that the only other fighter to score a knockout win over Allen was Curtis’ teammate, Sean Strickland. Strickland put away Allen in November 2020. Which begs the question, does Curtis’ team have Allen’s number?
Curtis is a good striker with a lot of power in close. He employs movement to keep his opponent from getting a bead on him. Curtis is also good at mixing up his targets, but his main focus is landing to his foe’s head. He has excellent takedown defense, but Nassourdine Imavov took Curtis to the mat three times on four attempts in the first round of their 2023 matchup and kept him on the mat for more than two minutes.
Curtis is an active striker, connecting on 5.96 significant strikes per minute, with an accuracy of 51 percent. However, he gets hit a lot, absorbing 6.58 significant strikes per minute with a striking defense of 53 percent. Curtis does not attempt takedowns, but his takedown defense is a terrific 92 percent.
Best Bets: UFC Vegas 90 main event – Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis 2
Betting underdogs have won seven of the 11 UFC main events in 2024, but don’t count on that number hitting eight in the main event of UFC Vegas 90. That’s not to say that there isn’t betting value in picking Curtis to get the win. There is value in that bet, especially if one picks Curtis to win via knockout. However, that is not my betting pick. Allen, the betting favorite has shored up his striking game enough to frustrate Curtis, and he knows what it takes to get Curtis to the mat in the rematch. With that, the betting pick for the main event of UFC Vegas 90 is for Brendan Allen to win via decision.
See below a list of reliable sportsbooks and choose the best one for you.
