HEIGHT: 5′ 9″ WEIGHT: 146 lbs COMPETITION WEIGHT: 146 lbs
Hailing from Crystal Lake, Illinois, Professional MMA Figher Pat Curran is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Lightweight and Featherweight and is this year’s proud winner of Bellator’s Season 2 Lightweight Tournament.
Curran was a Florida High School Wrestling stand-out who went on to study Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with his cousin Jeff Curran at the young age of 17. It was during this summer of training that Curran decided to pursue mixed martial arts as a career. After making his debut in 2008, against and defeating Tony Hervey (a future KOTC Lightweight Champion), he fought his second professional bout against Lazar Stojadinovic, who had previously had a dominating performance over Curran’s teammate Ben Miller, who suffered a broken jaw in the bout, at an Extreme Challenge event on January 26, 2008. The bout was featured on the TapouT reality series on the Versus Channel, giving Curran his first mainstream performance.
TapouT
Curran was featured on the TapouT reality series on the Versus Channel. Curran trains under his cousin, former WEC Featherweight title challenger Jeff Curran at his gym in Crystal Lake, Illinois. On the show, between training sessions, Pat got his first tattoo and he, Jeff and the crew do an autograph session at a Chicago clothing store. At the official weigh-in, Pat gets his first look at his opponent, Lazar Stozadinovic. Lazar has fought another of Jeff’s students and broke his jaw, so Pat reviews footage of that fight. The fighters were scheduled to meet at XFO 23 in Crystal Lake. Pat went on to dominate much of the first round with his grappling and ground and pound. He similarly dominated rounds two and three and won a unanimous decision from the judges.
Post-TapouT
Curran returned to the XFO for his third professional fight, where he defeated Amir Khillah by Decision (Split). His next two fights took place outside of the XFO banner, where he went 1-1 (the loss coming at the hands of UFC competitor Darren Elkins), before returning to XFO to defeat Daniel Strauss by KO (Punches) in the second. After winning another with XFO, he lost again competing outside of the promotion, this time to Charles Diaz by Decision (Split).
Once again, returning to XFO, Curran next faced Luke Gwaltney, winning by TKO in the first. On October 10, 2009 he faced Jay Ellis in an XFO event, where he defeated his opponent in under a minute, submitting him with a Guillotine Choke.
He was defeated in his next fight with XFO, at the hands of Travis Perzynski, losing by Rear Naked Choke in the second.
Curran took part in a Trojan MMA event, where he defeated former Cage Rage Lightweight Champion Robbie Olivier on February 27, 2010 via unanimous decision.
Bellator
It was announced that Curran would be a participant in Bellator Fighting Championships Season 2 Lightweight Tournament. His first round match-up was announced to be UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre’s protege, Mike Ricci and the fight took place at Bellator 14. A crowd favorite, the Chicago-area fighter remained patient through a few strategic minutes in which the fighters traded low kicks and jabs while finding their range. However, a little more than midway through the round, Curran connected on a powerful right hook that sent opponent Mike Ricci crashing to the mat where he stayed unconscious for a few uncomfortable minutes after a few follow up punches. The bout was called, and Curran won by KO (Punch) by 3:01 in the first round.
His second bout took place a Bellator 17 against former UFC fighter Roger Huerta. Huerta was heavily favored going in to the fight, but Curran impressed over three rounds and went home with a unanimous decision, winning 29-28 on all 3 judges scorecards. With that victory, Curran moved on to face Toby Imada, who was also victorious that night, in the Season 2 Lightweight Tournament Final.
At Bellator 21 Curran defeated Imada via split decision in a close fight, becoming the Bellator Season Two Lightweight Tournament Champion. Though judges awarded Curran the decision, the result was a surprise to many MMA observers.
A match-up against Bellator Season One champion Eddie Alvarez was anticipated for Season Three, but Curran was forced out of the contest due to a shoulder injury. Fighting in his place, Roger Huerta took on Alvarez in a non-title bout at Bellator 33 and lost via TKO Doctor Stoppage. Curran’s bout with Alvarez took place on April 2, 2011 at Bellator 39. He lost the fight via unanimous decision, with the judges scoring it 49-46, 50-45 and 50-45 in favor of Alvarez.
Curran dropped back down to his original fight weight of 145 lb to enter the Bellator Fighting Championships: 2011 Summer Series Featherweight Tournament. In his quarter final bout Curran submitted Luis Palomino via peruvian necktie in the first round.
Curran faced Ronnie Mann in the Featherweight Tournament semifinals at Bellator 47. He won the fight via unanimous decision, advancing him to the Bellator Featherweight Tournament finals.
Curran is expected to face former Sengoku Featherweight Champion and Pancrase Featherweight Champion Marlon Sandro at Bellator 48 for the Bellator Featherweight Tournament finals.
FACEBOOK: Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran Fan Page
TWITTER: @patcurranmma
2011
Win – 15-4 against England’s Ronnie Mann – Bellator Featherweight Tournament Semifinals
Win – 14-4 against Peru’s Luis Palomino – Won Bellator Lightweight Tournament Finals
Loss – 13-4 against USA’s Eddie Alvarez – Bellator Lightweight Title
2010
Win – 13-4 against USA’s Toby Imada – Bellator Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinals
Win – 12-3 against USA’s Roger Huerta – Bellator Lightweight Tournament Semifinal
Win – 11-3 against Canada’s Mike Ricci – Bellator Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal
Win – 10-3 against England’s Robbie Olivier – Trojan MMA: Trojan Warfare
2009
Loss – 9-3 against USA’s Travis Perzynski – XFO 34
Win – 9-2 against USA’s Jay Ellis – XFO 32
Win – 8-2 against USA’s Luke Gwaltney – XFO 31
Loss – 7-2 against USA’s Charles Diaz – Elite Fighting Challenge 4
Win – 7-1 against USA’s Mike Pickett – XFO 30
Win – 6-1 against USA’s Daniel Straus – XFO 29
2008
Win – 5-1 against USA’s Ramiro Hernandez – Adrenaline MMA 2: Miletich vs. Denny
Loss – 4-1 against USA’s Darren Elkins – C3: Domination
Win – 4-0 against USA’s Jay Ellis – XFO 25
Win – 3-0 against USA’s Amir Khillah – XFO 25
Win – 2-0 against USA’s Lazar Stojadinovic – XFO 23
Win – 1-0 against USA’s Tony Hervey – XFO 22
Boxing, kick boxing, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Weight Lifting.
Pat’s Stack
Sample Diet
Meal One: 2 scoops of ISOFLEX Whey Protein Isolate
Meal Two: 2 whole eggs, wholewheat toast
Meal Three: fruit
Meal Four: fish and rice
Meal Five: fruit
Meal Six: chicken or steak with pasta and veggies
Meal Seven: 2 scoops of ISOFLEX Whey Protein Isolate before bed
An Interview with Pat
Favorite Type of Training: Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Favorite Cheat Food: Ice cream, anything with a lot sugar.
Favorite Diet Food: Grapefruit.
What’s in your Gym Bag? ISOFLEX protein shake, hand wraps, gloves, clean clothes.
What Do you Like to Do Outside the Gym? Spend time with my family and girlfriend. I also enjoy fishing, flying RC airplane, riding my ATV.
How Did you get into Fitness: It all started with high-school wrestling.
What ‘s on your iPod? Pepper, Slightly Stoopid, Revolution, Long Beach Dub Allstars.
Biggest Gym Pet Peeve: People not putting their weights away in the proper place.
What Does Being an ALLMAX Sponsored Athlete Mean to You? Being an ALLMAX sponsored athlete is helping me to bring my performance to the next level.
