Jeff Curran may need a bulletproof vest at UFC 137, where he’ll make his UFC return against top-5 bantamweight and former title contender Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen.
The UFC certainly isn’t easing Curran into the bantamweight mix. Despite coming off back to back wins over Billy Vaughan and David Love, Curran is 4-5 in his last nine fights.
Meanwhile, Jorgensen rebounded from a decision loss to UFC champion Dominick Cruz at “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 Finale, where he scored a first round knockout over Ken Stone.
Curran is a journeyman and a wily veteran of the sport, but he has been plagued by inconsistencies against quality opposition. He can beat up on middle of the pack scrappers all day long, but when it comes to legitimate top-10 opposition, Curran tends to come up short in those bouts.
Is this the time he finally turns everything around?
It’s going to be tough against Jorgensen, who is clearly a stylistic nightmare for Curran. As predominantly a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, Curran struggles against aggressive strikers with domineering wrestling, which is a great description of Jorgensen’s skill set.
Jorgensen, a three-time PAC-10 NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Boise State University, is a strong wrestler with a sturdy top game and great submission defense. Along with his wrestling prowess, Jorgensen is a fairly powerful striker at 135-pounds.
Curran will have openings to land on the feet, as Jorgensen still shows signs of defensive woes in the standup exchanges.
Still, it’s hard to envision Curran showcasing the standup chops needed to take advantage of Jorgensen’s mistakes.
This won’t be a pretty fight. Curran will take a three-round beating, but his will to survive should keep him in the fight and possibly even open up a few opportunities to take the upset.
Unfortunately, the opportunities will be missed, as Jorgensen dominates and takes a clear cut unanimous decision.
Bleacher Report’s Jordy McElroy