NEWARK, N.J. – Charles Jourdain beat Kron Gracie with a unanimous decisioni Saturday to open up the main card at UFC 288 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Take a look inside the fight with Jourdain, who snapped a two-fight skid with the win over the jiu-jitsu standout.
Kron Gracie vs. Charles Jourdain
Result: Charles Jourdain def. Kron Gracie via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Updated records: Jourdain (14-6-1 MMA, 5-5-1 UFC), Gracie (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Key stats: Jourdain had nearly 7 minutes of total control time.
Jourdain on the fight's key moment
“I’ve been following Kron for years. I have all of his father’s books. I understand where they come from. So acknowledging that, I think because they want to push the martial arts aspect more than the media aspect, … you can see it in his attitude and the way he interacts with people. Tonight, I wasn’t fighting the symbol of the Gracies. I was fighting Kron Gracie, which is flesh and blood, and that’s against who I won.
“I didn’t try to break the symbol of what the Gracies represent. And I think everyone involved in this sport has respect for the Gracies and what they’ve done. But not trying to be disrespectful, but actually maybe he’s kind of out of his depth, generationally? It’s a very one-dimensional style. He doesn’t really mix it up. And in fact, halfway through the fight, he kind of just throws everything out the window and just goes for what he’s good at. I think if you apply proper strategy, you can dismantle the way he fights.”
Jourdain on growing as a fighter
“I turned 27. I’m still quite young, but I need to mature as a fighter or else I’m going to lose my job, and I don’t want that. Those two losses in a row to (Nathaniel Wood) in Paris and then to (Shane) Burgos (before that), if I would’ve been a little bit more mature, I would’ve won those. But now I’m more mature. I’m a better man, therefore, I’m a better fighter.”
Jourdain on what he wants next
“I would love to fight (Edson Barboza). It would be a good ol’ striking match. I won’t try to take him down. I doubt he will do that, as well. But I know he said he wanted to fight someone in the higher rankings because he wants to do a title shot and everything. And that’s up to him. I think he’s on the A side. I’m on the B side. But fans would be happy and I would be happy.
“I need to watch those spinning back kicks (if we fight). I think I have good kicks, but then I think Paul Felder said every time he hit me with those switch kicks, I felt like a baseball bat. So I would be happy if he says yes, but I won’t be sleeping good that night.””
To hear more from Jourdain, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
