Jack Hermansson reveals words that ignited UFC London scuffle with Chris Curtis
Jack Hermansson vs. Chris Curtis was supposed to be a meeting of two gentleman middleweights, but both fighters showed an uglier side of themselves at UFC London.
After Hermansson won a decision over Curtis at this past Saturday’s co-main event, he responded to Curtis’ double-bird by shouting a comment that further inflamed tensions. Hermansson could be heard on the broadcast, but he confirmed exactly what he said during the encounter – with a little clarification to soften the sting.
“Me and Chris, we were good coming into the fight, very friendly, and I think during the fight, Chris got frustrated with what happened,” Hermansson said Monday on The MMA Hour. “After the fight, he lifts his finger to me, and I said something to him, and it got heated, but later that night we met up again and squashed the beef, so we’re all good now.”
“I just apologized for the things I said to him,” Hermansson continued. “I said, ‘F*** you, p****.’”
Hermansson tried to apologize to Curtis almost immediately after uttering the insult, but Curtis wasn’t having it. “The Action Man” further expressed his frustration later in the evening, though he also blamed himself for a poor performance and took responsibility for his side of the confrontation.
Before the night was over, Hermansson and Curtis reconciled in a moment that Hermansson shared on social media.
According to Hermansson, such outbursts are uncharacteristic of him.
“Never,” Hermansson said when asked if he’d ever directed that particular insult at an opponent. “And I don’t get emotional when fighting at all, and I would never do it. But it was more that he flipped his finger at me – that’s what made me mad, not the fight itself. So the fight itself would never create those kinds of feelings with me, but if somebody is disrespectful, that can make me mad.”
The sparks that Hermansson and Curtis generated after their fight were more memorable than the fight itself, a methodical three-round affair that saw Hermansson control the distance and completely neutralize Curtis’ striking offense.
Hermansson understands that fans at The O2 in London might have hoped for a more action-packed contest. But he scored a much-needed win to bounce back from a split decision loss to Sean Strickland this past February.
“After the fight I was a little bit disappointed,” Hermansson said. “I didn’t think it was a very crowd-pleasing fight, but now getting some distance from it, I’m very happy because we prepared for a fight like that.
“My coach told me right before we walked out, ‘Tonight, Jack, you’re not going to do a show. You’re going to win the fight. Don’t stay there in the boxing distance, do what will work. Keep the distance, and that’s what I did and I got the W for it.”