| Pat Curran | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 31, 1987 |
| Other names | Paddy Mike |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st) |
| Division | Lightweight, Featherweight |
| Style | KickBoxing, Wrestling |
| Fighting out of | Island Lake, Illinois |
| Team | Curran Martial Arts Academy |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 20 |
| Wins | 16 |
| By knockout | 4 |
| By submission | 5 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Other information | |
| Notable relatives | Jeff Curran, cousin |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Pat Curran (born August 31, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a Lightweight and Featherweight. He is the cousin of World Extreme Cagefighting veteran and former Featherweight title challenger Jeff Curran. He fought primarily with Xtreme Fighting Organization (XFO) before signing with Bellator Fighting Championships, where is the winner of Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Two Lightweight Tournament and the Bellator Fighting Championships: 2011 Summer Series. He holds notable wins over Roger Huerta, Marlon Sandro, and Toby Imada.
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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.
Curran was featured on the TapouT reality series on 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.
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 round.
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.
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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4] 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 lbs 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 faced former Sengoku Featherweight Champion and Pancrase Featherweight Champion Marlon Sandro at Bellator 48 for the Bellator Featherweight Tournament finals. Curran defeated Sandro four minutes into the second round via a highlight reel head kick KO, in the process becoming the first person to win Bellator tournaments in two different weight classes.
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 20 matches | 16 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 4 | 0 |
| By submission | 5 | 1 |
| By decision | 7 | 3 |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 16-4 | Marlon Sandro | KO (head kick and punches) | Bellator 48 | August 20, 2011 | 2 | 4:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Won Bellator 2011 Featherweight Tournament Finals |
| Win | 15-4 | Ronnie Mann | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 47 | July 23, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Rama, Ontario, Canada | Bellator Featherweight Tournament Semifinals |
| Win | 14-4 | Luis Palomino | Submission (Peruvian necktie) | Bellator 46 | June 25, 2011 | 1 | 3:49 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Bellator Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinals |
| Loss | 13-4 | Eddie Alvarez | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 39 | April 2, 2011 | 5 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | For Bellator Lightweight Title |
| Win | 13-3 | Toby Imada | Decision (split) | Bellator 21 | June 10, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Won Bellator 2010 Lightweight Tournament Final |
| Win | 12-3 | Roger Huerta | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 17 | May 6, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Bellator 2010 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal |
| Win | 11-3 | Mike Ricci | KO (punch) | Bellator 14 | April 15, 2010 | 1 | 3:01 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Bellator 2010 Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal |
| Win | 10-3 | Robbie Olivier | Decision (unanimous) | Trojan MMA: Trojan Warfare | February 27, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Exeter, England | |
| Loss | 9-3 | Travis Perzynski | Submission (rear-naked choke) | XFO 34: Curran vs. Hori | December 5, 2009 | 2 | 4:38 | Lakemoor, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 9-2 | Jay Ellis | Submission (guillotine choke) | XFO 32 | October 10, 2009 | 1 | 0:58 | New Munster, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 8-2 | Lucas Gwaltney | TKO (punches) | XFO 31: Outdoor War 5 | August 15, 2009 | 1 | 1:32 | Island Lake, Illinois, United States | |
| Loss | 7-2 | Charles Diaz | Decision (split) | Elite Fighting Challenge 4 | June 27, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Norfolk, Virginia, United States | |
| Win | 7-1 | Mike Pickett | Submission (rear-naked choke) | XFO 30 | May 2, 2009 | 1 | 1:56 | New Munster, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 6-1 | Daniel Straus | KO (punches) | XFO 29 | April 27, 2009 | 2 | 1:31 | Lakemoor, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 5-1 | Ramiro Hernandez | Decision (unanimous) | Adrenaline MMA 2: Miletich vs. Denny | December 11, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Moline, Illinois, United States | |
| Loss | 4-1 | Darren Elkins | Decision (unanimous) | C3: Domination | November 22, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Hammond, Indiana, United States | For C3 Lightweight Championship |
| Win | 4-0 | Jay Ellis | Submission (rear-naked choke) | XFO 25 | August 9, 2008 | 1 | 0:51 | Island Lake, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 3-0 | Amir Khillah | Decision (split) | XFO 25: Outdoor War 4 | August 9, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Island Lake, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 2-0 | Lazar Stojadinovic | Decision (unanimous) | XFO 23: Title Night | April 25, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Lakemoor, Illinois, United States | Bout featured on TapouT reality series |
| Win | 1-0 | Tony Hervey | Submission (rear-naked choke) | XFO 22: Rising Star | February 23, 2008 | 1 | 1:24 | Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States |