UFC 268: Chris Curtis Finds Silver Lining in Phil Hawes Declining Fight Last Month

New York, NY — “Please don’t jinx me,” Chris Curtis told the media ahead of his second attempt at making his UFC debut.

As is well known by now, Curtis stepped up on 24 hours notice, and made weight, for a short-notice fight against Phil Hawes last month. Only for Hawes to turn down the fight.

“That sucked,” Curtis admitted during Wednesday’s UFC 268 media day. “I can’t even begin to explain how much that sucked. Fight week’s already stressful on anything, but to be there, to weigh in, to have everything going and then taken away from you, that really sucks.”

At first, Curtis admitted, it he directed his anger at Hawes. “We’re fighters, take the fight” was his thought process. But having been in the fight came as long as he has, Curtis understands that “this is a business.”

“You are your brand. I’ve never spoken to Phil about it, but it could be a thousand things. He may not wanted to have struggled with the weight for a guy that’s coming in fresh. He may not have felt comfortable doing it,” explained Curtis. “I’m not even going to be mad, man, because at the end of the day, if I go out there, and say he gets f*cked up, he lost money, that’s his brand that’s taking a hit.”

“Look out for you number one” is the rule for the game, Curtis added. And getting the match back just a few weeks later is a pretty good alternative. Especially on a massive card in New York City. “Phil may be a mad scientist, he may be a genius. We’re in Madison Square Garden now. I don’t know if he had an inkling, but way to go Phil Hawes. I’m not mad a the guy, this worked out really well. If he fell into it, cool, if he planned this, then that man is a genius, and I have made a terrible miscalculation.”

Watch the full UFC 268 media day appearance from Chris Curtis above. More coverage of the event can be found below. UFC 268 takes place Saturday November 6 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.