Jeff Curran signs multi-fight deal with UFC, will make first Octagon appearance in seven years this fall

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Jeff Curran is heading back to the UFC for the first time since 2004, as MMAJunkie.com reports that the "Big Frog" has signed a multi-fight deal with the organization.

Curran, cousin of Bellator lightweight tournament winner and summer series featherweight tournament finalist Pat Curran, has competed around the United States in a number of major organizations, as well as an appearance in Pride in Japan and a couple of fights in Canada throughout his 13-year career.

The 33-year-old has appeared once before in the UFC, losing a unanimous decision to Matt Serra back at WEC 46 in January of 2004. Curran would win 15 of his next 16 fights - losing only to Hatsu Hioki by decision in that stretch - but four straight losses in the WEC from 2007-2009 took him out of the spotlight.

Since his split decision loss to Takeya Mizugaki in his final WEC appearance, Curran has won four of his last five fights, and will enter the UFC this fall on a two fight win streak. He's competed in three separate divisions throughout his career, but per the MMAJunkie report he'll be entering the UFC's bantamweight division upon his return.

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Penick's Analysis: This is good news. Curran is a good fighter who went through a rough stretch in that WEC run. Losses to Urijah Faber, Mike Brown, Joseph Benavidez and Takeya Mizugaki are nothing to scoff at, and actually the Mizugaki fight was a poor decision that really should have gone to Curran in a close fight. He's got a lot of experience and he's capable of defeating a lot of fighters, and he'll be a good addition to the UFC's bantamweight roster.

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