Preview: UFC on ESPN 16 Prelims

Featherweights

Charles Jourdain (10-3) vs. Joshua Culibao (8-1)

ODDS: Jourdain (-440), Culibao (+350)

If this fight lasts for any length of time, it is probably the odds-on favorite to be the best bout on the card. Jourdain is an interesting prospect, and his December win over Doo Ho Choi should thankfully give the Canadian enough time on the UFC roster to figure out things. He is an athlete with knockout power and an aggressive mindset, but he still fights like an inefficient maniac. Jourdain is willing to throw all sorts of flashy strikes that lead nowhere and is particularly fond of a flying knee that lends him his “Air Jourdain” nickname. To his credit, Jourdain usually pares down things and figures out what works by the end of his fights, but he would be much better served by coming out with a smarter approach from the start. Australia’s Culibao is also a solid talent, but he may be out of his depth here. “Kuya” is a lanky striker with some interesting tools, but his UFC debut against Jalin Turner was a rude awakening for someone who was consistently the more athletic fighter on the regional scene. Jourdain has the type of style where he can certainly run right into a knockout, particularly from a willing striker like Culibao, but the Canadian is the much more developed fighter at this point. This should be a firefight for as long as it lasts, but the pick is Jourdain via first-round knockout.

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