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CURRAN WINS LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNEY IN BELLATOR
Thursday, June 10, 2010 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com
He was an underdog when the Bellator Fighting
Championships lightweight tournament started, but now Pat Curran is
$100,000 richer and gets a shot at Eddie Alvarez later this year after
defeating Toby Imada on Thursday night.
The young fighter
first brought to prominence as a fighter on the TapouT reality show and
nicknamed "Paddy Mike" by the crew, has grown up a lot in the last few
weeks. Curran first hit the main stage when he defeated earlier
tournament favorite Roger Huerta in his semifinal match-up, before
moving on to face Imada this week.
Toby Imada, last year's
lightweight runner-up, held his own in the fight, but struggled to get
Curran to the mat or keep him there on the few occasions he could get
the Indian based fighter down. The fighters traded big shots early and
often, making every round a tough call for the judges.
The
third round may have been the only decisive round with Curran tagging
Imada with a big left hook that opened Imada up, and a steady stream of
blood began flowing over his eye. The round continued with more back
and forth, but Imada looked like the more damaged fighter when it was
over.
The judges scorecards all read 29-28, but two judges saw
the fight go Pat Curran's way and he was declared the winner by split
decision, and is now the season 2 Bellator lightweight champion. Curran
will now enjoy a little down time before being scheduled for a shot at
current Bellator champion and top ten lightweight, Eddie Alvarez, later
this year.
Top rated women's star Megumi Fujii wasted no time
showing her dominance in her Bellator debut, as she outworked and just
out fought Sarah Schneider, before getting a third round stoppage by
TKO. The Japanese based Fujii worked her takedowns flawlessly
throughout the fight, moving in and out of Schneider's guard.
In
the third round, after a quick takedown from Fujii, she worked back to
mount yet again and this time just began to reign down shots on
Schneider and she had no answer, as the referee stepped in to stop the
fight. Fujii will now await the start of the first ever Bellator
women's tournament, in which she will be a heavy favorite to take home
the gold when it's over.
The final fight on the televised card
saw Mike Hayes win a fairly uninspired fight against Steve Banks by
unanimous decision. Neither fighter looked overly aggressive during the
bout, but in the end Hayes was able to work enough striking to pick up
the win.
Playing it Safe No Longer a Part of Jeff Curran's Game
MMA veteran Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran recently spoke with Heavy.com about his upcoming fight against Bryan Goldsby at Bellator 14. After losing four fights in a row, Curran (31-12-1) was released from his WEC contract. But the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt believes he is one more victory away from making his return to the UFC’s sister promotion.
Heavy.com: You were originally set to fight Joe Doherty at Bellator 14 in your home state, but are now taking on late replacement Bryan Goldsby. How are you feeling heading into this fight and what are your thoughts on the matchup?
Jeff Curran: He’s tough and he is a step up from Doherty, so I’m looking forward to that. He’s a good striker, he’s tall, and he’s a good 135-lbs fighter so he’s actually a little bit more than I bargained for, I think. I thought I had a good fight with Doherty in the first place. I don’t think the Athletic Commission knows what they are talking about.
Heavy.com:You’ve been in the sport since the late 90’s and have witnessed the growth of MMA firsthand. Did you expect MMA to become as popular as it is today?
Jeff Curran: Nobody did. I always anticipated that it would become something bigger than what it was and every time it would take a step forward I would get excited about where it was headed. Now, it seems like the sky is the limit. There is something for everyone.
Heavy.com:As a fighter that has been competing since the early days, how do you keep up with the constant evolution of the sport?
Jeff Curran: You definitely have to stay humble. You can’t think that because you’ve been there and done that, that there is nothing left to learn. It’s the same with Jiu-Jitsu. It is always evolving and is not the same way now that it was ten years ago.
Heavy.com:What is the biggest difference in the way fighters utilize Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu today in comparison to how the art was used back in the early days?
Jeff Curran: The biggest thing today with grappling, and not just in MMA but also high level grapplers like Marcelo Garcia, [is that] they’re aggressive. Back in the early days, you used to wait for the other guy to get tired and then make your move. Nowadays you can’t do that because you run the risk of losing a decision. That was the old philosophy. You let the guy wear out and pick him apart as time goes by and eventually catch him. Obviously with the time limits, that can’t happen today. And with the way judges score fights, you can’t take your time on the ground. You have to get after it.
Heavy.com:Four years ago you were considered one of the top featherweight fighters in the world after going on a six-fight win streak. Unfortunately, you lost a bit of steam in the WEC losing to Urijah Faber, Mike Brown, Joseph Benavidez, and Takeya Mizugaki all in a row. Now that you’ve been cut from the WEC, is your main goal to get back with the Zuffa owned organization?
Jeff Curran: Yeah, that’s the plan. Tthere’s talk [about bringing me back] in June if this fight goes well. They gave me the goal when I left [the WEC] that if I wanted to come back ,I had to win three fights. So I went and I got after it. I won two straight towards the end of 2009, so they are pretty happy with my comeback and will hopefully bring me back in June.
The problem with my run at 145-lbs against Urijah [Faber] and Mike Brown was just that I wanted it all right now. I wanted to go to the WEC and I wanted to be the champion. I really should have come in with a slower mindset and fought some of the lower level guys first. I shouldn’t have gone right to the champion and I pushed that to happen and when I failed against Urijah, it sent me into a tailspin. I train my ass off for every fight and I gave it everything I got, but my mindset just wasn’t the same and now that I’m out of the WEC it is time for me to get back.
Heavy.com:What is your contract situation like with Strikeforce and Bellator? In November 2009, you fought on the undercard of a Strikeforce event and now you are set to make your debut with Bellator on April 14. Is it just a one-fight deal with these promotions?
Jeff Curran: Yeah, well we have the option for a second [fight] if we want it within a certain time period, but I honestly don’t even know. My manager, Monte Cox handles everything, so if he says I can fight then I sign the contract and fight. My deal with Strikeforce is pretty much washed away, but they don’t have my division anyway, so it was never my intention to stay with them. I’m fighting in the local main event for Bellator in Chicago, so I get to be in the main event. They are featuring quarterfinals for a huge tournament that is going to be on TV and my cousin is also going to be on the card. I have some of my other fighters on the undercard, so it’s just a good show to be a part of. I want to support Bellator so they come back to Chicago, and since my cousin is going to be there, I feel like Bellator is going to be a part of my family. Ultimately though, my main goal is to get back into the WEC. That’s where I need to be.
Heavy.com: Like you just mentioned, your cousin Pat Curran is going to be competing on the very same card against Mike Ricci in the first round of Bellator’s season 2 lightweight tournament. Ricci has a lot of hype around him and his trainer Firas Zahabi believes he is the future of MMA. How do you like this matchup and how do you think Pat will do against Ricci?
Jeff Curran: Nobody knows a whole lot about my cousin yet other than the fact that he trains with me and they know he is talented. At 145-lbs he’s a terror. He moved back up in weight for this tournament and he’s been weight training for the first time since he started MMA. He’s got some muscle going and he’s got his strength up. He’s dangerous and to fight somebody coming out of the Tristar gym - out of GSP’s camp - is what we want. We want to fight guys that are notable and have potential going for them.
Heavy.com:When you initially dropped down to the bantamweight division after your loss to Mike Brown at featherweight, you had your eye on then-bantamweight champion Miguel Torres. Is that still a fight you want at some point?
Jeff Curran: All I wanted from him was the belt. He was the champion and he was the guy that had everything and I wanted it, that’s all that was. I’ve been fighting for a long time and I respect him. Now that he is on a two-fight losing streak, and as a guy that likes him, I want to see him build himself back up and I don’t even have it in me to get out there and fight him to be honest. I’m looking to go out there and kill whoever I fight and I feel bad for the way his career is going, so hopefully someone else can be the victim there and he can build himself back up.
Heavy.com:For someone who has been fighting for 12 years, you’re actually a pretty young guy at 32 years old. How much longer do you see yourself fighting?
Jeff Curran: I come into every fight these days in good shape, much better shape than I was when I was younger in the sport. I’ve just got the right trainers now and I’m on the right diet but my injuries will play more of a factor into that. It’s not going to be whether I have the cardio or the strength to move forward, it’s going to be injuries and some of my injuries these days are pretty bad. They’ve hindered me from a lot of drills so I always have to modify things. I’ll keep fighting, but I want to be able to play with my kids and if it gets in the way of that, then it is a different story. But other than that, I’d like to fight until I’m 40.
Heavy.com: What can we expect to see differently from Jeff Curran in 2010?
Jeff Curran: I’m just going to try to finish fights. I’m going to take all the risks that I didn’t take before and finish the fight. When I feel that things are going my way and I’m doing well, I usually start playing it safe. That old school Jiu-Jitsu mentality of playing it safe is going to change. I’m going to be more aggressive and I’m going to try to finish this guy.
Posted On April 5th, 2010 by Mitch Ciccarelli in Sports
Team Curran Junior Prospect Wins National Wrestling Championships
Markus Hartman, a 10 year Team Curran prospect, recently won the USAW Kids Folkstyle National Wrestling Championships. Hartman has been training with Team Curran since he was less than 5 years old. He is one of the best Jiu-Jitsu students and is currently getting ready to test for his Black Belt in Curran's Junior Program in Muay Thai. Markus is a hard working, athletic kid with tons of potential. "I love seeing these kids bust their butts...It's what it's all about" says head coach, Jeff Curran. "They work their wrestling inside Overtime Wrestling located inside my gym so it is a perfect example of how my system works for the long term. I am very happy for Markus" continued Jeff.
Jeff Curran and Pedro Sauer Promote 3 Black Belts
March 27,2010
On Saturday, March 27, 3 more top quality Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu students were promoted to Black Belt within the Pedro Sauer Jiu-Jitsu Association. Jeff Curran, known for his high level Jiu-Jitsu in tournaments and MMA on the world stage, has trickled down to 3 of his longest running students. Bart Palaszewski (WEC LW Contender), Russ Janca and John Janca, have been training under Curran and Pedro Sauer for more than a decade. "I am so proud of all these guys for standing the test of time with me" Jeff said. All 3 of these guys teach at Curran Martial Arts alongside of Jeff Curran and 1st Degree Black Belt, Adam Miller. Now staffed with 5 high level black belts, Team Curran looks to gain more momentum moving forward in 2010. Jeff continued to say "Professor Sauer and I have been together since I was 18 years old. He has got to see guys like Bart grow up since the age of 15 and Russ since the age of 10, nearly 12 years ago."
The Belt Ceremony opened Master Sauer's seminar at Curran Martial Arts in Crystal Lake, IL on Saturday. With over 50 participants attending the seminar, they were also shared with a whole group of Black Belts. Black Belts in attendance were Pedro Sauer, Jeff Curran, Matt Strack, Adam Miller, Henry Matamoros, Dr. Tim Westlake, Bart Palaszewski, Russ Janca and John Janca.
For more information on training with Jeff Curran and his staff if you are in the chicago area or look to visit for a training camp, visit www.teamcurran.com or email adam@teamcurran.com to answer any questions.
The Long Journey to Blue Belt
What is the meaning of the blue belt?
The blue belt is the first belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, but within the Gracie family the time standards of when a person reaches the blue belt differ. In some Gracie family academies you may be ready to test within six months, but others will keep you on the path to blue for two to three years. Obviously members of the Gracie family weight the value of a blue belt differently than others. How do we look at the blue belt at Curran Martial Arts?
Following Grand Master Helio Gracie, "...a blue belt should be awarded to anybody who can effectively defend themselves in a real street fight" (quoted by Rener Gracie in the Gracie Combatives course). For us the blue belt is not merely the first mile marker on the long journey to the black belt, but also the "foundational" self defense belt. This is why it takes so long to achieve the blue belt at our academy.
Similar to building a home, your foundation in Jiu-Jitsu is the most important part of the structure. You can have a spacious and beautiful first and second floor, but if the foundation is poor the whole house will come crumbling down under the pressures of the elements. In like manner, you may have a great X-guard and deep half-guard, but if you haven't put in the time working and refining the basic principles of the closed, open and half guard, you will find your Jiu-Jitsu "house" collapsing under the pressure of someone with a simple and solid base. In short, your Jiu-Jitsu will only and ever be as good as your foundation.
I spent over four years attaining to a blue belt under Master Sauer. Although I had more than enough training hours logged in, I realized that the techniques required for the blue belt exam would be tested every time I stepped on the mat and possibly on the street. I still find myself polishing the techniques within the blue belt category.
The blue belt curriculum has everything you need to defend yourself and build a solid foundation. Escapes from headlocks, simple and effective guard passes and devastating submissions. Each technique conforms to the following:
1. The principle of "Maximum efficiency and minimum effort." This axiom from Jigoro Kano is preeminent in Jiu-Jitsu; we push when pulled and "give to get".
2. The priority of self-defense. For example, the "Reverse Dela Riva" is a brilliant guard position, but would prove disastrous if your opponent could punch. As Pedro Sauer Black Belt Matt Strack liked to remind us, it is not primarily "Jiu-Jitsu vs. Jiu-Jitsu" but "Jiu-Jitsu vs. the world".
Jeff Curran lives this out in the cage and on the mat. Not all of the Big Frog's opponents have Jiu-Jitsu at the core. Many are wrestlers or Thai Boxers who cross train in Jiu-Jitsu. Training "Jiu-Jitsu vs. Jiu-Jitsu" only does not prepare you for a real encounter. You sometimes see this when a new student comes and moves like an inexperienced brute, but because they do not move "right" the upper belt has trouble controlling them. The Blue Belt curriculum is the foundation for "Jiu-Jitsu vs. the world." It's movements are "one size fits all" (any body type can do them) and designed to work against people who know Jiu-Jitsu and people who do not.
Where are you at in your journey? If you're a white belt be patient and make the most of your training time. When we separate classes and have you work on the basics, maximize your training time with proper repetition of the techniques we show you.
If you're a blue belt and above, keep refining the techniques found on the blue belt level. Years ago Rickson put on a "black belt only" seminar and proceeded to demonstrate a basic cross choke from the guard. One of the seminar participants complained about paying all that money to be taught such a basic move, yet he couldn't submit the other black belts in attendance with it. Rickson then proceeded to mount and submit each black belt with the simple cross choke. A deeper understanding of the cross choke is better than a thousand new moves.
In 2010 we will test another cadre of candidates for their blue belts. The test will be technically rigorous and display the meaning of the blue belt: a growing proficiency in the basics and growth in the virtue of perseverance. Please congratulate them when you see them.
Thoughts for the Journey,
Adam
CAGE THREADZ FIGHT SHOP NOW OPEN!
Jeff Curran and his team are proud to announce the opening of the area's first ever Fight Shop that carries all the major name brands in clothing and training gear. Located in the front Suite of Curran Martial Art's building, you can stop by anytime and check the store out. Cage Threadz is open to the public Monday - Fri from 10am-8pm and Saturday's from 10am-3pm.
"I wanted a place where all the fight fans, students of martial arts and fighters themselves can go to shop and see product first hand. Not to mention, save on shipping costs from purchasing online" Jeff Curran says about his reason for taking on such a large venture into his already busy life. He continued to say "I am so excited about it. The store has all the top brands from TapouT to Archaic, Bad Boy to Sprawl. You name it, we got it. Plus, I am in the shop alot so i get to meet alot of fans and greet customers." Cage Threadz is constantly adding new product lines and is also working on its very own Cage Threadz line of clothes as well.
Be sure to stop by and check the store out at:
221 Liberty Rd. Suite A
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
or call (815) 459-CAGE (2243) for more information.
Team Curran Ready to Release New Stable of Talent!
On Saturday, June 20th at The Lakemoor Banquet Facility, where Team Curran fighters earned professional wins and titles that bumped them into the big leagues, starts a new era of fighters out of the Curran Martial Arts Academies new state of the art gym by releasing the "next heat" of fighters into the amateur circuit says owner and CEO Jeff Curran.
With fighters such as Bart Palaszewski (IFL, WEC, King of the CAGE veteran), Nate Mohr (4x UFC veteran, King of the Cage veteran) and Jeff Curran (UFC, Pride, IFL, 5x WEC Veteran, Top 5 featherweight, King of the Cage etc.) using XFO's earlier shows as a way to hone skills, challenge top talent and pave the way for the rest of their career's, they have done just that....Make room for Team Curran's new heat.
XFO: Genesis, is an amateur version of the normal Pro/Am show that is the XFO. X-treme Fighting Organization has a night of 15 + fights set and as part of that roster is amateur Team Curran fighters Sean Baker, Phil Williams, Matt Ortiz, Joey Diehl, Brian Peterson and Scott Goldberg. Making their debut fights in MMA, Ortiz, Diehl and Peterson all have lots to live up to when they grace the cage on Saturday, June 20th. Baker, coming off a solid win on his debut a few months ago, Goldberg as well, both are anxious to get out and continue the long journey that is an MMA career. Williams, with 1 loss total on his MMA record from a fight prior to joining the ranks of Team Curran, looks to start in motion a good winning streak in hopes to move into the professional ranks in the near future.
All fighters at Team Curran are built as solid amateurs before entering into the Pro's. "I can't wait. I train these guys harder than ever these days. I have filled in the gaps as a whole here at our school and just can't wait" Jeff says when speaking of his new stable. He continues to say, "to be be a fighter for me I have to see loyalty, commitment to the school and training first of all, but most importantly I need to see desire to be great. Laziness is not an option and it won't be tolerated in my fight team".
Look for an exciting night at the fights on Saturday, June 20th. Tickets available now or for more information please visit www.x-fighting.tv
WE TALK TO JEFF CURRAN (MMA Unlimited)
March 9, 2009 Written By: Al Yu
Jeff Curran re-invents himself in the WEC's bantamweight division.
Jeff Curran is one of the busiest fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts. He has built his career from the ground up and is proud of where his hard work and dedication has taken him.
Having fought in Pride, UFC, ZST, and the IFL, Curran is one of the most experienced featherweight fighters today. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt is the owner of Curran Martial Arts Academy in Crystal Lake, Ill. and is also the owner/promoter of three smaller MMA organizations. The former Shooto America champion has faced some very tough competition and remains as one of the tireless faces in the business.
Curran returned to the WEC in August of 2008 after a nearly five-year absence. The first opponent under his exclusive four-fight contract was Hardcore Gym’s Stephen Ledbetter. After earning a unanimous decision win over Ledbetter, the Illinois resident was set to contend for the featherweight belt held by Urijah Faber.
Curran had the opportunity to reach the most defining moment of his career when he faced Faber for the World Extreme Cagefighting 145-pound division title. Unfortunately, the “Big Frog” was defeated and his dream of wearing WEC gold was put on hold. In the second round of their championship fight, Faber caught Curran in a tight guillotine and he was forced to tap. He suffered the first submission loss of his long career.
“This is the first time I have ever been submitted in my entire career and my spirit is so hurt by it. I live for Jiu-Jitsu and feel like I let a lot of people down. I just want to apologize for that,” said Curran.
In his subsequent fight, Curran faced the always tough Mike Brown. Having fought at lightweight for most of career, Brown moved down in weight to take on Curran and the size advantage was apparent. After three rounds, Jeff found himself on the losing end of a decision and his first back-to-back losses in years. Brown would go on to capture the 145-pound championship, defeating Urijah Faber in impressive fashion.
Previously considered as one of the top 145-pound fighters in the world, Jeff Curran now looks to make an impact in the WEC’s flourishing bantamweight division.
“I think this division is stacked to the top with talent. Everyone is not only tough, but technical and in great shape. That's a dangerous recipe.”
“Training is going awesome. Weight is coming off well and I feel strong as ever. [There was] no adjustment needed, I am naturally a small guy. Especially leaving out the Beer” Currans said laughing.
At WEC 40, Curran faces a tough test in Urijah Faber protégé Joseph Benavidez. Benavidez is undefeated and successfully made his WEC debut back in December of last year.
“I am focusing a lot on wrestling. I know I have the tools regardless to beat him. My guard is one of the better guards in the sport I feel and he will have a hard time surviving in it for too long if he chooses to try and get me down. If he decides to stand then that's his problem!”
“I think he is very talented. I think he has good skills all across the board but a little wild in some parts but that’s what makes guys like him dangerous so it’s not a bad thing. I respect him and I respect his coaches. They come to win and I wouldn't want it any other way.”
Having lost two fights in a row, Curran is placed in a must-win situation. There is a lot of pressure on him to make a successful bantamweight debut.
“I love pressure. I am so amped for this fight I can't explain it. I am not afraid of losing because I know I am not going to. There just isn't any other option.”
A win over Benavidez could place Curran in line for a shot at 135-pound kingpin Miguel Torres. Does Jeff Curran believe he deserves a shot?
“I know I deserve a shot,” responded a confident Curran. “Bowles had to pull so he may have to wait his turn after I step in. One way or the other it doesn't matter. The belt’s mine, it just hasn't been put around my waste yet.”
At WEC 40, the “Big Frog” has the chance to establish himself as one of the best bantamweight fighters in the world. A big win over Joseph Benavidez would put back on track in his quest for a championship.
“I would just like to tell everyone that I am sorry for falling short on my past two fights, but I promise, I am coming into this fight with zero reservations and leaving it all on the line. Thanks for all your unconditional support. It’s really great to know I am a part of the WEC in general, but fighting for them in my city of Chicago is just the icing on the cake. The fans here are some of the best in the world. Let's bring home the ‘W’.”
The Fukerton’s exclusive interview with WEC and UFC veteran Jeff Curran
Jeff talks about trying to balance running a gym, training for a fight and being a family man. We discuss the upcoming Pulver/Faber fight and he makes his pick in the GSP/BJ Penn match up. Interesting to hear how a guy that has had so much success still has to burn the candle at both ends. I guess not everyone is making Tim Sylvia money just yet. (Can you hear the sarcasm dripping?) Good luck to Jeff in April, he’s a stand up guy.
WEC’s Jeff Curran: “The Big Frog Jumps to Bantamweight”
By Terry E. Bush - FIGHT MAGAZINE article
In an era of MMA monikers such as ‘The Iceman,’ ‘The Predator’ and ‘The Massacre,’ the unassuming nickname ‘The Big Frog’ may not garner much attention, but don’t let the name fool you. WEC’s Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran has more hop in his step than the average guy and he’s got more irons in the fire than a Texas cattle rancher on branding day. Look to the frog to jump from Featherweight to Bantamweight in the WEC in 2009.
The name “The Big Frog” came about, oddly enough, about 10 years ago during warm-ups at Pedro Sauer’s school (Jeff is a first-degree black belt under Sauer) where two Brazilians kept calling him “big frog” in Portuguese. When Curran asked why, he was told he looked like the amphibian while doing frog-like warm-up exercises and he had a tattoo of a tree frog on his back. Even though the two occurrences were never linked, the name stuck.
Master of All Trades, Jack of None
Jeff Curran can best be described as a modern-day Renaissance man who has mastered many areas and is constantly reinventing himself. For starters, he owns and operates a multi-million dollar training facility and small MMA promotion, manages a few fighters and teaches Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai classes at his gym when he’s not training for professional MMA and boxing matches.
No stranger to the gym business, he’s been involved for 11 years, having moved locations seven times, and growing in size with each move. He is currently the president and head instructor of Curran Martial Arts Academy, a 24,000 square foot training facility in Crystal Falls, Illinois, near where he grew up.
“A lot of gyms are like little training centers inside of fitness centers and I’m kind of the opposite; I’ve got a fitness center inside of a martial arts gym,” says Curran. The facility offers a plethora of activities, including Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai boxing, fitness classes, yoga and many programs for children.
Growing Smaller MMA Promotions
When he’s not teaching classes or training for a fight himself, Curran helps up-and-coming fighters—like his cousin Pat Curran, Nate Mohr and Bart Palaszewski—and others train for fights through X-treme Fighting Organization, a small fight company he co-promotes with his manager Monte Cox and Dan Lardy, one of his partners at the gym. Mohr fights for UFC, and Palaszewski recently won his WEC debut with a KO over Alex Karalexis, which also earned Fight of the Night Honors.
“We wanted to…promote fighters from our area instead of the Iowa-Quad Cities area, where Extreme Challenge was born,” explains Curran. “This was my way of having to showcase my fighters and other local fighters and giving them a fair shot and a chance to get in front of the local fans because there’s nothing big going on in Chicago…I don’t really trust most of the promoters in Chicago or in the Midwest in general that I’m not connected with because they’ve done me wrong or done friends of mine wrong. There’s just no reason to go give somebody else our fighters when they can just fight for us.”
Add to the mix of daily happenings, Curran is a devoted husband and father. He and wife Sarah have a young son, Ty, and are expecting another son soon. He calls his wife, “a trooper” for being so supportive and tolerant of his busy lifestyle.
Early Influences
So how did such a busy person get involved in MMA? Curran says it all started back in 1992. The following year, he watched Royce Gracie at UFC 1 and was hooked. “Up until that point I was just learning Jiu-Jitsu as a martial art and…basically I didn’t know what I was involved in. As soon as I saw Royce Gracie fight, it sparked the interest and I started seeking it out and that was pretty much at the point that I realized that some day I want to fight, it’s just never something that was supposed to happen on this level.”
Three Gracies in particular served as role models with their philosophies of mixed martial arts. Curran says Royce, Rickson and Renzo Gracie “are three people who have always seemed to have more of a philosophy behind their training and not just trying to be the tough guy…I always looked up to them, but…the new up-and-comers that I’m training with every day…those are more the guys I look up to; they’re dealing with things on a different level than we had to deal with.”
The philosophies that Curran puts first include, “the philosophy of just being technical and making sure that technique comes before power…and making sure you treat the sport of MMA like a martial art and the respect issue that goes on.”
“I think a lot of the new fighters don’t have that [respect] because in the sport of MMA it’s kind of the norm to be the tough guy, you know, and have an attitude and that’s what’s making fighting famous, but I think that we still need to keep that martial arts respect issue.”
Learning Opportunities: Faber and Brown
Respecting Curran’s tenacity for multi-tasking is easy. In addition to his many business duties, Curran, at just 31, has had over 40 MMA bouts, with an overall 30-10-1 record. Before falling to his two most recent opponents—Mike Brown and Urijah Faber—he won 15 of his 16 matches just prior to the meeting up with Faber.
During the Faber match at WEC 31, Curran had an impressive first round, but lost to submission in the second round. Jeff explains, “In [the Faber fight], I’m to blame because I had 100 percent control of him and all I needed to do was be a little more aggressive and start dropping some shots on his face…and he would have exposed his neck most likely.”
“I got really content and comfortable and I just felt unthreatened and once the tables were turned and he picked up the aggression a little bit to come out of it…I was still fine, but when we went into the second round and I ended up getting cut, that was kind of the turning point.”
“Once I got cut and I was on my back and had blood in my eyes…I started doing things more on feel. I heard that time was almost up and I made a move to try to get back to my feet and pressure him a little bit to finish a round and I got caught in that choke and I don’t know, I just wish it would’ve gone a little differently than it did.”
Six months after the disappointing loss to Faber, Curran’s decision loss to Mike Brown (who defeated Urijah Faber for the WEC Featherweight title at WEC 36), was an easier pill to swallow. “[In the Mike Brown fight] I did what I felt I needed to do, but…I wish I had reacted differently but you can’t really change that…if I would have just pressured him a little more on my feet, a lot of things I wish I could’ve done differently, but it’s over with and that’s why it doesn’t really kill me too much.”
Making the Grade at Bantamweight
Like most everything in Jeff Curran’s life, he just keeps moving forward. After the two losses, it was announced that he would be moving down a weight class to the Bantamweight division.
Explains Curran, “There’s a couple guys entering the 145 division right now that are huge threats…one of them in particular I have a win against—Wagnney Fabiano—and I know that more than anything he wants to fight me again. I would love to fight him again, but my feeling tells me that he’s going to probably end up either a top contender right away or the champ soon, and just knowing his skill level after fighting him, there’s a good chance that he’s the title holder.
“I think I’ve got a good chance of getting world title at 135 a lot faster than I would [if I were to] work my way back through the 145 division, because they’ve got some other guys who deserve a shot. So this is my kind of ‘hook around the back’ approach to getting in that seat where I’m possibly a world champ at Bantamweight discussing possibly moving back to the division of Featherweight and having the current champion be one of two guys that I’m their only loss against and they want to redeem themselves against me and that makes for a pretty good way back into that division.”
Pro-Boxing as Training for MMA
In preparation for the Bantamweight division, Curran dropped weight and fought in a professional boxing match at 135 pounds, defeating Miguel Angel Figueroa by TKO in the third round. With the win, Curran’s professional boxing record advances to 2-2-1. Curran says professional boxing serves as a training outlet to hone his standup skills. “It was more just to test myself at that weight, to see how my energy level was, to see if I would actually make the weight because [I haven’t cut to that weight] since I was a freshman in high school…I had to get in there and see how my power would affect 135-pound guy.”
No Smack Talk on Miguel
How that power might affect another Miguel—WEC Bantamweight Champion Torres that is—remains yet to be seen. Torres has accused Curran of “talking smack” and wanting an easy title shot against him at 135.
Curran is happy to clear up the accusations. “I have no hate or disrespect for Miguel,” says Curran. “It’s actually just the opposite—I like him and always consider him a friend.” As far as getting an easy shot, Curran has no such delusions of grandeur. He knows he’s working his way back up the ladder. His philosophy is simple: “I want to fight the best in the world and I believe Miguel has one of the best, if not the best, record out of all world champions, WEC and UFC alike.”
Now that he’s been tested a bit at 135, look for “The Big Frog” to make a splash at Bantamweight in the WEC in 2009. Whether it’s looking at the Faber and Brown fights as valuable learning experiences or growing as a businessman, fighter and family man, Jeff Curran is constantly reinventing himself—and continuing his quest to be top frog.
Congratulations to our new Blue Belts at CMA!
Here are the lucky 13 guys who tested for their blue belts on Friday 1-25-08
in no specific order:
Rob Kluzek
Ron Dupree
Eddie Rovner
Jake Betterton
Cesar Briones
Patrick Curran
Ryan Corcoran
Brett Brendel
Adam Dones
Keith Houston
Josh Hein
Chris Lewis
Mike Horn
Business of Fighting - Northwest Herald
story by Kevin Kaduk, Northwest Herald Sports columnist
An hour earlier, the baddest man in Crystal Lake could have been found in his natural habitat, sparring and shadowboxing inside a chain-linked octagon.
But with that training session now over, the only place to find the baddest man is in his office. In here, among the trophies and stacks of paper, his fiercest opponent is – get this – a finicky laptop.
Jeff Curran furrows his brow in concentration and, for those privy to both of these scenes, it makes for quite a contrast.
photo by Justin Runquist
“Hold on a minute,” says the 30-year-old Island Lake resident, trying to attach a file to an e-mail for a visitor. “I think this should work.”
On one hand, Curran embodies the preconceived image many might have of an ultimate fighter: He is not wearing a shirt, tattoos cover his arms and chest and his hair has just been shorn.
And even though he stands only 5-foot-6 and weighs only 145 pounds, his chiseled physique makes him look like the first person you’d want on your side in a barroom brawl. Right now he’s in top condition and, on Wednesday, will fight champion Urijah Faber at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas for the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight title.
It is the biggest match of his career.
But it doesn’t take long to see that there’s another side to the fighter who breaks stereotypes as efficiently as he breaks wills. Not only is Curran one of the nation’s top ultimate fighters, but he also is one of its ultimate businessman.
Indeed, to spend a day with the soft-spoken Curran is to visit with a unique 21st-century success story.
While he fiddles with his computer, Curran is sitting behind a desk in the office of his 15,000 square-foot “Team Curran” gym in Crystal Lake Plaza. He has run this business for 10 years – built it from scratch, really – and he now has more than 300 students and fighters of the mixed-martial arts. On his office wall hang blueprints for his dream project, a 26,000 square-foot standalone facility that he and two partners are building near McHenry County College. Curran says that if everything goes as planned, it will open next summer.
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Of course, in his dream vision, Curran will start his tenure in the new center while owning the WEC belt. That should come as no surprise. The fight against Faber figures into most of Curran’s thoughts these days.
“This fight defines my career,” he says, still tired from the mid-afternoon workout. “I’ve been fighting for 10 years, I have a family and I have a huge business. ... I just have a lot more to risk than just a loss on my record. This is 10 years in. I’m not a rookie anymore; I’ve put in my time.”
But ask the baddest man in town what he considers to be a bigger success story – his fighting career or his business – and he doesn’t try to choose between the two. One definitely had to do with the other, and it’s hard for him to imagine doing it any other way. Most weeks he spends more than 60 hours a week in this gym, teaching students who range from novice to expert and training both himself and a close circle of other fighters who travel to Crystal Lake from places as far as Batavia and Kenosha, Wis.
Though it’s possible you never have heard of Curran, he is well-known in the growing world of ultimate fighting. His production company often promotes fight cards in Lakemoor and even the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. He has fought in Japan, holds several endorsement deals and his fight with Faber will be televised live on the Versus network as part of a weekly WEC program. (WEC is a sister company to the more well-known Ultimate Fighting Championship. Featherweights fight under the WEC banner.)
That’s not a bad deal for Curran, who graduated from Woodstock High School in 1995 and started learning jiu jitsu, a Japanese fighting discipline, as a teenager.
Actually, he says, his interest in combat traces back for as long as he can remember. He watched “Rocky” and Bruce Lee movies with his grandfather, an ex-military boxer, and he wrestled throughout elementary and middle school. His high school years were spent traveling to martial arts seminars across the country, eager to eat up anything he could learn about jiu jitsu.
Ask him if he thought that path would lead him here and Curran just laughs. Ultimate fighting still was being born back then, and making a career of it was the furthest thing from his mind.
“Back then, my only intention was to have a jiu jitsu academy,” he says. “I didn’t want to base my whole future on a sport (ultimate fighting) that was in its infancy. At the same time, I wanted to help pioneer it. So once I found a comfortable meeting with the two and once it hit a certain point, I jumped in with both feet. ... I went crazy.”
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WEC fights can end in a number of ways, with knockouts and submissions the two most likely outcomes. There also is the chance of a decision, but neither Curran nor Faber ever have fought a full five-round, 25-minute match, having dispatched most opponents long before the final bell. But many WEC aficionados say this might be the first full fight for both.
“That’s the worst case, getting tired in a fight when he’s not,” Curran says. “It’s going to come down to who can better deal with the tired feeling for the first time. I think I can outlast him in that area.”
If you know the trials and tribulations of the baddest man in town, that’s a pretty safe bet. Curran was raised in what he calls a “rough” situation in Wonder Lake. His family didn’t have much money, his parents were divorced and his father died from diabetic complications when Curran was 18.
But while some might have turned to easier outlets like drugs or drinking, Curran threw all his energy into jiu jitsu and other martial arts. He opened his first training center in the front half of his uncle’s carpeting warehouse, paying $350 a month for 900 square feet. He installed carpet during the day and, at night, he’d train students while training to be a professional fighter himself. After a few years of hard work, he had enough income to quit his day job and commit full time to his gym. Now, the baddest man in town controls a kingdom he helped create.
And while it isn’t often that a fighter calls all of his shots, it quickly becomes clear that Curran isn’t just any fighter.
“I came on the scene with pure motivation and, 12 years later, I have the same drive,” Curran says. “I’ve just made it an accustomed part of my lifestyle. It’s just who I am and I try to get the people around me to share the same beliefs.
“I really believe that’s the formula that works.”
– Kevin Kaduk is the Northwest Herald’s sports columnist. Write to him at kkaduk@nwnewsgroup.com For more, read his blog, “Duk’s Calls,” at NWHerald.com/kaduk.
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