MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Charles Jourdain knows his back is against the wall heading into UFC 288.
Jourdain (13-6-1 MMA, 4-5-1 UFC) meets Kron Gracie (5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in Saturday’s main card opener at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
Jourdain is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. He knows a third straight loss could be detrimental to his UFC career, but he thinks the time off will help him bounce back.
“This is pressure I brought onto myself by performing not to the best of my ability,” Jourdain said Wednesday during UFC 288 media day. “Especially in my fight in Paris, I just wanted to fight in Paris more than I wanted to win. I did some stupid stuff, but the eight-month layoff made me realize I got the potential. With proper strategy, I could have beaten most of the guys that ‘beat’ me, and I need to level up. If I want to stay in the UFC, I need to level up. If not, the door will be shown to me. So, I need to prove I’m a better fighter.”
Jourdain will look to snap his losing skid against the returning Gracie – a jiu-jitsu specialist who has scored submissions in all of his wins. But Gracie hasn’t competed since suffering his first-career loss to Cub Swanson in 2019, and Jourdain is looking to mimic his blueprint.
“He takes too many shots I think in his fight let’s say with Cub,” Jourdain said. “Maybe he’s going to try and go for a takedown right away because you saw his gas tank go down very fast against Cub, and Cub had a phenomenal game plan. So, I’m gonna have a very similar strategy in terms of more strikes with the hands, and let him eat as many shots as he wants to eat.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.