In what was one of the most anticipated featherweight match-ups in recent memory, Kron Gracie made his long-awaited return to the Octagon after a three-year hiatus to take on Canadian striker Charles Jourdain in the opening bout of the UFC 288 Pay-Per-View card in Newark, NJ on Saturday.
The question on everyone’s mind was simple: who would execute their game plan more effectively? Jourdain showcased his lightning-fast hands early on, slipping through Gracie’s guard and then circling out of range to avoid any counters.
Grandes combinaciones del canadiense @JourdainAir #UFC288 pic.twitter.com/C3rdiXmyBQ
— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) May 7, 2023
Despite this, Gracie managed to close the distance and press Jourdain against the fence, but the Canadian was able to stave him off. Jourdain expertly listened to his corner, pushing Gracie off him the moment his coach called for it.
Gracie became increasingly frustrated on the feet, and eventually opted to pull guard. However, Jourdain remained compact and kept his arms close to his head, making it difficult for Gracie to grab anything.
When Gracie did manage to create an opening, Jourdain quickly scampered back to his feet. In the final moments of the round, Gracie closed the distance again, but Jourdain was able to fend off the takedown attempt and finished the round with a combo that saw his uppercut finding its mark yet again.
The second round saw Gracie and Jourdain exchanging kicks, with Gracie closing the distance but unable to hang on to Jourdain. Gracie then tried to pull guard while standing, and Jourdain held him up against the fence.
The two eventually slipped down to the ground, with Jourdain finding himself in Gracie’s guard – a position he was not comfortable being in. Although he was more active on top this time, Gracie tried throwing elbows off his back.
After more than a minute on the ground, Jourdain slipped out and moved back to his feet without Gracie having made much progress. Jourdain landed a few punches, but Gracie was able to deflect most of them. In the final minute of the round, Gracie found a home for his left hand, tied up Jourdain along the fence, and pulled guard once again.
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The third and final round began with Jourdain throwing and landing more punches than Gracie. Gracie tried to take the action to the fence, but Jourdain escaped and continued to land punches, mixing in some body shots as well.
Gracie knew he needed a finish, and he tried to take the fight to the ground once again, but Jourdain remained tight, hands close to his head, making it difficult for Gracie to get a hold of him. Jourdain landed a flurry of punches in the final minute, underscoring his dominant performance throughout the night.
When the judges’ scorecards were tallied, it was clear that Jourdain had won convincingly, with a unanimous decision victory over Gracie (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Dana White criticized the performance afterwards saying:
“You know, I like Kron a lot. And he’s a good kid. He came in very limited tonight. Very limited. You know, it’s like coming out of a time capsule in 1995. You know what I mean? It’s a tough way to try to win a fight these days. Yeah, 30th anniversary. You’d never think you’d kind of see that.”
UFC pros reacted similarly on twitter:
More industry insiders were unamused:
