“I wanted to put my name out there and have crazy performances, but now I realize it’s all about the wins. When I won against Dooho Choi there’s all this TV and opportunity, but then when I lose, even by split decision, it’s a loss in the eyes of the people and your wallet. So the W is the only thing I care about. I belong there. it was a close fight, but I need to be smart and control the aggressiveness that I have. I need to slow down a bit but keep being me. I got to the UFC by being flamboyant and crazy.”
Jourdain will attempt to get his second “W” in the UFC on Saturday when he takes on Josh Culibao on Fight Island.
For the first time in Jourdain’s UFC career, he is not an underdog. With only three years of professional MMA experience, he made his UFC debut against Desmond Green in May of 2019. He fought Green in his hometown of Rochester, NY, then fought Choi in his native country of South Korea, and then Jourdain squared off with the veteran Fili.
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Clearly, Jourdain, and the UFC matchmakers, were not afraid to start his run in the UFC by going right into the fire.
“Experience is the biggest thing in MMA and up until Fili I thought it was nothing,” Jourdain said. “The more you fight with the best the more you become a better fighter. When I learned of my opponent (Culibao), I thought, ‘Oh, I’m the guy with the experience,’and it’s a big factor for me. I’ve never been the favorite. The UFC said you’re going to fight guys just like you with similar experience and now I’m the big boy. I’m looking at it like I’m the boss. It’s something weird and there’s something special about it. I don’t mean to get my head too big about it, but I’m the A-side and it’s well deserved.”