A pair of Canadian UFC fighters will make their return to the octagon next month. Charles Jourdain and Marc-Andre Barriault are both expected to return shortly — and Jourdain will get a key match-up with featherweight vet Andre Fili.
Le Journal de Montreal confirmed Jourdain’s opponent Saturday, after the fighter announced he had signed a bout agreement.
Bout agreement is Signed 🏴☠️🛫
— CharlesAirJourdain (@JourdainAir) May 22, 2020
Jourdain (10-2), a former double champ under the TKO banner, joined the UFC last year for a lightweight fight against Des Green at UFC Rochester. While he came up short in his debut, the Canadian then dropped to featherweight, where he got the better of South Korean sensation Doo-Ho Choi at UFC Busan back in December.
Fighting Choi and earning a second round finish in the South Korean’s own back yard was no small feat. And it has earned “Air” Jourdain another formidable name in the UFC’s 145lb weight class: Andre Fili.
Fili (20-7), a longtime member of Team Alpha Male, and the UFC roster, had a two-fight win streak snapped last time out, when he ran up against Sodiq Yusuff. Still, Fili represents a danger to just about anyone at 145lbs. The pairing of “Touchy” Fili and Jourdain definitely has a Fight of the Night feel.
Speaking to Le Journal de Montreal, Jourdain suggested that Fili has a softer touch than his last opponent. “From what I’ve seen on videos, his hands are lighter than Choi’s,” he told the outlet.
The UFC’s June 13 event is anticipated to take place in Las Vegas at the UFC Apex. While the U.S.-Canada border remains closed, essential travel (including for work) is still possible.
