ANDRE FILI VS. CHARLES JOURDAIN
Featherweights hovering just outside the Top 15 collide here as Team Alpha Male stalwart Andre Fili takes on up-and-coming Canadian Charles Jourdain in what should be a high-octane affair in the 145-pound weight class.
Fili had his modest two-fight winning streak snapped last time out against Sodiq Yusuff, but didn’t lose any ground in the division. After several years of inconsistency, the Sacramento native turned a corner following his UFC 220 loss to Calvin Kattar and has been putting in consistent quality efforts since, even if the results haven’t always gone his way.
Lanky and experienced, the 29-year-old self-described “outcast and underdog” is the kind of seasoned fighter every division needs standing at the gates of the Top 15, taking on all those with greater aspirations and establishing their own case for contention in the process.
After amassing nine wins in his first 10 appearances fighting on the regional circuit at home in Quebec, Jourdain made the short notice move to the UFC last May, competing at lightweight against Desmond Green in his hometown of Rochester, New York. Jourdain dropped a unanimous decision and admitted everything about the experience made him freeze up for two rounds but promised a more representative showing once he returned to featherweight.
His sophomore appearance in the Octagon came in the 145-pound ranks and once again took place in hostile territory, as he ventured to South Korea to face Doohoi Choi last December. As promised, the French-Canadian prospect showed out, scoring a second-round stoppage win over the returning fan favorite in an all-action affair.
This isn’t quite a classic “veteran vs. prospect” battle, as Fili is still very much in his prime and capable of making a run at the Top 10. However, it could provide a great deal of clarity in terms of what to expect from each man going forward, both in the second half of 2020 and beyond.
If Fili can turn back Jourdain, he’ll establish a foundation just outside the Top 15 and give himself an opportunity to face a ranked opponent next time out, while a victory for Jourdain would position him as one of the top young talents in the 145-pound weight class and propel him forward another step in his quest to claim UFC gold.
