[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fCHIBGGDmI&w=560&h=315]
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. At this rate, the next Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view
will look nothing like it did even a few weeks ago. Initially broken by MMA reporter Alvaro
Colmenero on Thursday, Ilia
Topuria (11-0) has a new opponent for his featherweight tilt on
UFC
270. He was initially set to take on Movsar
Evloev, but the Russian tested positive for COVID-19 and the
fight was scratched. Instead of preserving the matchup, the
promotion elected to replace Evloev with Charles
Jourdain (12-4-1) for the Jan. 22 event. This battle at the
Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., will take place on the prelims,
and it has been subsequently confirmed by
multiple outlets.
On the heels of the first decision win of his career – a unanimous
verdict over Andre Ewell
in December – Jourdain will springboard into this short-notice
opportunity. The high-flying Canadian known as “Air” Jourdain had
previously earned all 11 of his past victories by stoppage, with
eight by knockout and more than one set up by flying strikes.
Jourdain has had a tumultuous time as of late, with two wins, two
defeats and a draw in his last five dating back to 2020. While he
did knock Marcelo
Rojo out, he was submitted by Julian
Erosa and dropped a split decision to Andre Fili
along the way.
Topuria has yet to lose as a professional, with 11 wins since
making his debut in the sport in 2015 including 10 stoppages to his
credit. Since making his way to the roster in 2020, Topuria topped
highly touted prospect Youssef
Zalal in his debut on the scorecards, knocked Damon
Jackson out a few months later and laid waste to Ryan Hall in
his last time out. While most of Jourdain’s triumphs have come due
to strikes, Topuria’s preferred method of victory is the choke.
UFC 270 will play out inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.,
on Jan 22, as heavyweight Francis
Ngannou and Ciryl Gane
look to unify their heavyweight belts. The co-main attraction draws
the trilogy match at flyweight between champ Brandon
Moreno and ex-125-pound kingpin Deiveson
Figueiredo. Topuria was originally expected to fight on the
main card, but the shifting of the matchup has moved it to the
prelims in exchange for Michel
Pereira vs. Andre
Fialho at welterweight.
