A promising featherweight fight kicked off the UFC Vegas 79 main card, as Canadian striker Charles Jourdain looked to make it two wins in a row against Brazil’s Ricardo Ramos.
Jourdain had got back in the win column in his last fight, a one-sided beating of Kron Gracie.
On Saturday, it was Jourdain firing a heavy kick to the body, with Ramos stumbling back. In turn, Ramos kicked the legs of the Canadian then went high, and already, the striking talents of both athletes were on display. Jourdain closed the distance with a left, fired a knee, and wound up grabbing a guillotine as Ramos pursued a takedown.
Ramos eventually landed the takedown, and had a shot at a Von Flue choke, but couldn’t finish it. In a scramble moments later, however, Ramos again found himself caught in a guillotine. While he looked to pull free, it wasn’t to be, with the Brazilian instead giving a quick tap, and giving Jourdain his second straight win.
The victory should give “Air” Jourdain a bit of breathing room, with two straight wins putting a two-fight skid behind him. He’s also primed to make the turnaround for a rumoured Toronto card in early 2023.
After the fight, Jourdain noted that he was proud to be both the youngest, and most experienced Canadian on the UFC roster (John Makdessi actually has more fights, though the UFC broadcast itself overlooked this). Jourdain also took the time to give a respectful callout of Cub Swanson, saying “Canadian fans deserve a very good battle between the new school and the old school.”
Official Result: Charles Jourdain def. Ricardo Ramos by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1, 3:12
Updated, 11:40PM Sept. 23 to reflect that John Makdessi has the most UFC bouts among Canadians currently in the promotion
