Over the course of the first seven years of his MMA career, former Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran was one of the most consistent fighters in the sport.
Curran routinely fought no fewer than three bouts a year, but since the end of 2015, Curran has missed significant time twice due to injury, resulting in having just one fight in two years.
“I was very consistent earlier in my 20’s, but now that I’m getting a little bit older, the injuries that I had when I was younger that didn’t really bother me got to the point where they needed attention and I needed time off to take care of them,” Curran told MMAWeekly.com.
“It’s one of those things that happens with everybody in sports; you give everything you have into it and eventually your body catches up and it slows you down. Mentally, I didn’t want to accept it, but it’s one of those things where you have to listen to your body and go from there.”
Curran (22-7) takes on John Teixeira (21-2-2) in a main card 145-pound bout at Bellator 184 on Friday in a bout that was delayed 10 months due to Curran’s most recent injury issues.
“He is a very tough opponent,” said Curran of Teixeira. “He’s been active. He’s been showing that he’s hungry and he’s pushing towards a title. I know he wants a title shot.
“He has a very solid chin and can take a punch. He looks to get to the inside with guys and is looking to go toe to toe and is looking for a knockout shot every punch he throws. He’s definitely not somebody you want to stand in front of trading shots with.”
Curran believes the time off he’s had to fix issues with his back will mean his upcoming bout with Teixeira will play out differently than it would have last December when it was originally slated for.
“My back just wasn’t where it is right now,” said Curran. “It was a lot worse and was something I was struggling with every day. I feel like it’s night and day to where it was a year ago.”
Should Curran come out his fight on Oct. 6 healthy, he’s anxious to make up for lost time and would like to get back into the cage sometime prior to 2018.
“It all depends on how the fight goes,” Curran said. “I’d love to get back in there right away, but if I’m banged up or it’s a close fight or I have an injury, I’d have to take some time off. Yeah, I would love to get back in there and get another fight before the New Year.”
