Canadian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, Charles Jourdain was born on November 27, 1995, and he is presently competing in the UFC Featherweight division. Having previously won the TKO Featherweight Championship and the TKO Interim Lightweight Championship, he was a TKO Major League MMA Double Champion.
In today’s blog, we’ll be walking you through the details of his career and how he became famous over the years. Keep reading!
Personal Life
He has two elder brothers and a younger brother, Louis Jourdain, who has been heavily involved in his mixed martial arts career and is pursuing his own. Charles is also very active on his social media where he shares about his love life with Clarence Lessard. The couple has been dating since 2017 and is often seen traveling together.
| Did you know? Charles Jourdain is popularly known by his nickname “Air” in the world of MMA. |
Career Trajectory
Charles started his MMA career in 2013, and as of 2024, his growth has been significant over the years. Let’s break his trajectory down and assess further.
The Early Years- 2013-18
In 2013, Jourdain completed his official training and started competing in mixed martial arts. At the end of 2013, he had an amateur record of 8-2, having won 7 of his 8 fights. Additionally, in 2014, he participated in FightQuest Amateur Combat, where he won the title of FightQuest Featherweight Champion and was awarded a “Performance of the Night” bonus.
In 2015, he turned professional and only participated in Canadian mixed martial arts events. On May 21, 2016, Jourdain faced Thomas Sumantri in his first mixed martial arts match at LAMMQ – Quebec Mixed Martial Arts League 5. With a flying knee in the opening round, he was the knockout winner and received the Knockout of the Night bonus.
The Year of Big Debut- 2019
Before joining Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2019, he had a 9-1 record and was the TKO Featherweight and Interim Lightweight champion.
On May 18, 2019, Jourdain made his highly anticipated promotional debut against Des Green at UFC Fight Night 152. The fight was decided unanimously against him.
On December 21, 2019, Jourdain would take on Doo Ho Choi at UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. The Korean Zombie. With 0:21 seconds remaining in round 1, Jourdain would later drop Choi. Choi would drop Jourdain early in the round, and the remainder of the bout would exchange that would result in Choi breaking his left arm during a spinning back fist attempt. More exchanges between the two fighters would occur in Round 2. Jourdain stopped Choi with a left cross and a right hook with thirty seconds remaining in the round.
In round two, he prevailed by TKO at 4:32 of the bout. earning him a Fight of the Night bonus and his first victory in the promotion.
| Fun Fact: Jourdain is famous for having his dynamic and exciting fighting style. He has proficiency in both striking and grappling techniques, which makes him truly stand out. |
Made a Comeback- 2020-21
On June 13, 2020, Jourdain made his competitive comeback against Andre Fili at UFC on ESPN: Eye vs. Calvillo, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two sparred on the feet in the opening round, with Jourdain taking Fili out with an overhand left. Towards the end of the second round, Fili successfully secured a takedown. Split decision decided the fight against Jourdain.
On October 4, 2020, Jourdain took on Joshua Culibao at the UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana event. Both fighters would use their game plans and pick up the pace during the fight. The bout would go the full distance, with a split decision.
On March 13, 2021, Jourdain was supposed to compete against Steve Garcia at UFC Fight Night 187. Due to an injury, Garcia withdrew from the fight on February 24. Marcelo Rojo, a recent UFC rookie, took Garcia’s place. In the third round, he was declared the winner via technical knockout.
Jourdain was going to face Lerone on September 4, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 191. However, Murphy had to cancel the event due to a visa issue; Julian Erosa took his place. In round three, Jourdain was submitted, ending the fight.
In December 2021, at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus, Jourdain squared off against Andre Ewell in the final fight of his dominant contract. He was declared the winner by an anonymous vote.
Onwards and Upwards- 2022-23
On January 22, 2022, at UFC 270, Jourdain was to take on Ilia Topuria, who would be taking Movsar Evloev’s place, in the opening fight of his new four-fight contract. But Topuria was taken off the card for a medical condition involving weight loss, and the fight was called off.
On April 23, 2022, Jourdain participated in UFC Fight Night 205 against Lando Vannata. In the opening round, he submitted via guillotine choke. Jourdain faced Shane Burgos on July 16, 2022, at UFC on ABC 3. The bout ended with a majority decision against him. On September 3, 2022, Jourdain participated in UFC Fight Night 209 against Nathaniel Wood. The fight was decided unanimously against him.
On May 6, 2023, Jourdain and Kron Gracie squared off at UFC 288. He outfought Gracie for most of the fight and won by unanimous decision. On September 23, 2023, Jourdain took on Ricardo Ramos at UFC Fight Night 228. In the opening round, he won by guillotine choke. He was awarded Performance of the Night for his victory.
