Chris Curtis’ streak of bad luck continued during Saturday’s preliminary main event at UFC 289. Hoping to come back strong after the controversial loss to Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 287, where an unnoticed headbutt caused him severe damage, Curtis was unfortunately dealt a similar blow during a clash of heads with Nassourdine Imavov in the second round.

Although the referee, Jason Herzog, quickly noticed the incident and halted the bout, Curtis had already suffered a cut on his right eyelid, putting him at a disadvantage. Although Curtis was given some time to recuperate, he was unable to see, and the fight was stopped, despite his plea to Herzog to allow him to continue.

The result constituted a no-contest due to the headbutt, and Curtis and Imavov may face each other again at a later date to settle the score. Many from the MMA community expressed their sadness and confusion about the match’s conclusion.

The footage of the fight suggests that Chris Curtis is a true warrior. Other fighters and many people from the MMA community expressed their sympathy for the unfortunate events that occurred during the game. Some even commented that Curtis’ streak of bad luck seems to follow him around like a magnet continuing to affect his UFC journey.