Preparing for a UFC fight is a combination of strategy, technique, and absolute secrecy. However, Chris Curtis has brought to light an accusation that breaks with the usual routine of a training period. Ahead of his fight against Roman Kopylov on January 11, 2025, the American claimed that two individuals infiltrated his team and passed on strategic information to his opponent before their middleweight bout (up to 83,9 kg).
Curtis reported the incident on social media. Visibly outraged, he described the situation as 'dirty play'.
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“Two weeks ago, two Russians showed up at Xtreme Couture, said they wanted to train with us and stayed for a while. As soon as Kopylov arrived in town, they disappeared. Now they are training with him,” he said.
Located in Las Vegas, XTreme Couture is one of the most prestigious training centers in MMA, home to stars like Sean Strickland , Francis Ngannou , and Dan Ige . Curtis, 37, has trained at the gym since joining the UFC and didn't hide his discomfort with what happened.
Chris Curtis had accused Roman Kopylov of sending two Russian spies into his #UFC311 training camp pic.twitter.com/SlS4VpQKAi
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) December 25, 2024
Chris Curtis vs Roman Kopylov in UFC
Chris Curtis is looking to re-establish himself as a standout in the middleweight division (up to 83,9kg). Since his UFC debut with a knockout victory over Phil Hawes in 2021, he has alternated between wins and losses. His last fight, a rematch against Brendan Allen , ended in defeat after accepting the fight with little notice.
Roman Kopylov , for his part, has been recovering well after a hesitant start in the company. Since his debut in 2019, the 32-year-old Russian has accumulated four consecutive knockouts before being defeated by Anthony Hernandez in February of this year. In June, he returned to winning ways by defeating Brazilian Cesinha Almeida by split decision.
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