The welterweight preliminary bout between Max Griffin and Chris Curtis goes down at UFC on ESPN 70 on July 12, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s a veteran showdown between two experienced strikers known for toughness, boxing-heavy styles, and a willingness to trade in the pocket.

Max Griffin

Max Griffin is a 38-year-old American fighter with over a decade in the UFC and a reputation as a gritty, well-rounded welterweight. A former Tachi Palace Fights champion, Griffin is known for his crisp boxing, sharp calf kicks, and veteran savvy.

He has fought some of the division’s best, from Colby Covington to Neil Magny, usually going the distance in tough, competitive bouts. Griffin’s style is built around technical striking, solid cardio, and durability, but he’s struggled to consistently finish high-level opponents and has been vulnerable to submissions in grappling-heavy matchups.

Coming off a submission loss to Michael Chiesa in December 2024, Griffin is looking to bounce back with the kind of disciplined, high-volume striking that earned him wins over Jeremiah Wells, Tim Means, and Carlos Condit.

Max Griffin – Last 5 Fights:

1. Loss vs. Michael Chiesa – Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (UFC 310, December 7, 2024)
2. Win vs. Jeremiah Wells – Decision (Split) (UFC Fight Night, February 10, 2024)
3. Loss vs. Michael Morales – Decision (Unanimous) (UFC on ESPN, July 1, 2023)
4. Win vs. Tim Means – Decision (Split) (UFC Fight Night, October 29, 2022)
5. Loss vs. Neil Magny – Decision (Split) (UFC on ESPN, March 26, 2022)

Griffin brings consistency, toughness, and veteran poise but is aging at 38 and has shown signs of slowing in grappling exchanges.

Chris Curtis

Chris Curtis is a 37-year-old American known for one of MMA’s most winding, resilient careers. The former PFL veteran and CES champion has a boxing-heavy style with excellent counterpunching, strong body work, and surprising power, boasting 20 career knockouts.

Usually a middleweight in the UFC, Curtis is returning to welterweight for this matchup, a weight where he’s fought before and had success on the regional scene. His UFC run includes highlight-reel knockouts over Phil Hawes and Joaquin Buckley, but he’s been inconsistent against top competition, dropping decisions to Kelvin Gastelum, Brendan Allen, and Jack Hermansson.

Curtis’s most recent outing was a tough Fight of the Night loss to Roman Kopylov via last-second head kick in January 2025, showcasing both his durability and susceptibility to high-volume, diverse striking.

Chris Curtis – Last 5 Fights:

1. Loss vs. Roman Kopylov – TKO (Head Kick) (UFC Fight Night, January 11, 2025)
2. Loss vs. Brendan Allen – Decision (Split) (UFC Fight Night, April 6, 2024)
3. Win vs. Marc-André Barriault – Decision (Split) (UFC 297, January 20, 2024)
4. NC vs. Nassourdine Imavov – No Contest (Clash of Heads) (UFC 289, June 10, 2023)
5. Loss vs. Kelvin Gastelum – Decision (Unanimous) (UFC 287, April 8, 2023)

Curtis has power, accuracy, and a patient, boxing-focused approach but can be outworked by higher-volume strikers.

Prediction

This is a true veteran’s clash at 170 lbs between two well-traveled, technically skilled strikers.

Max Griffin will try to work at range with crisp jabs, calf kicks, and long combinations. He’ll want to use movement and volume to avoid Curtis’s sharp counters. His cardio and experience in three-round fights give him a path to a decision win if he stays disciplined.

Chris Curtis is the more dangerous puncher, even at welterweight. He excels at waiting for mistakes and making opponents pay with big counters to the body and head. However, Curtis is typically a slow starter and can get outpointed by active strikers who don’t get drawn into brawls.

If Curtis can walk Griffin down, cut the cage, and land his counters, he can sway the judges with cleaner shots. But Griffin has the style and experience to stick-and-move, mix in calf kicks, and outland Curtis over three rounds.

Prediction:
Max Griffin def. Chris Curtis via Decision (Unanimous).

Expect a close, competitive striking battle with Griffin’s higher volume and cage craft giving him the edge on the scorecards.