Curtis vows to 'fold him like a cheap suitcase' as UFC blocks Hernandez grudge match

Chris Curtis is campaigning hard for a UFC fight against Luis Hernandez, only to be turned away by matchmakers twice — but the veteran middleweight says he will simply bide his time until the promotion changes its mind.

The feud between Curtis (32-13) and the unbeaten Hernandez (9-0) dates back to a Tuff-N-Uff event last year, where Hernandez defeated Curtis’s Xtreme Couture teammate Miles Hunsinger and then mocked both Curtis and Sean Strickland, who were working Hunsinger’s corner. The taunting escalated quickly: both Curtis and Strickland entered the cage before security stepped in to prevent a full brawl.

Hernandez earned his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series earlier this month. According to Curtis, he contacted UFC matchmakers immediately after the signing to request the fight, but was told Hernandez was too inexperienced. Hernandez then made a rapid turnaround, submitting Sedriques Dumas on two days’ notice at UFC Vegas 121. Curtis reached out to matchmakers again the same night — and was denied a second time, with the response that Hernandez was still not on his level.

Curtis addressed the situation directly on Instagram, making clear he has no interest in letting the grudge go quietly.

“The moment Luis Hernandez gets signed to the UFC, I message matchmakers,” Curtis said. “And the response from both was, ‘He’s not ready yet. He’s got no fights; he’s not ready yet.’ Last night he gets his win; I immediately messaged matchmakers. And I get the response, ‘He’s still not ready. He’s not on your level.’ So, I can’t fight him right now; I’ve tried… But I want him to do well; I want him to get a few wins. Because the moment he gets a few wins, the moment he is not brand new in the UFC, I’m gonna fight him. I’ve been circling this man like a shark in the water.”

Curtis also dismissed a reported peace overture from Hernandez’s camp. A teammate of Hernandez allegedly told Curtis that “The Stache” was open to squashing the beef — an offer Curtis flatly rejected.

“I ran into one of his boys the other day; he’s like, ‘Oh, [Hernandez] wants to squash the beef,’” Curtis said. “I told him I’m gonna pop his head like a grape when I see him. There’s no forgiveness, there’s no letting it go.”

For now, Curtis says he is content to watch Hernandez build his UFC record, knowing that a few more wins will make the matchup impossible for the promotion to ignore.