UFC: Josh Culibao Fights To Controversial Draw With Charles Jourdain

Sydney’s Josh Culibao has fought to a rare split draw with Canada’s Charles Jourdain at UFC Fight Island 4. 

The biggest underdog on the card going into the fight, Culibao wasn’t overawed by the occasion, putting in two solid rounds before Jourdain stormed home in the third. 

Judges scored the bout 30-27 Jourdain, 29-28 Culibao, and a 28-28 draw.

Only one judge awarded Jourdain a 10-8 round after dominating the third, but there was widespread backlash and controversy after one judge gave Jourdain all three rounds.  

Jourdain was rocked and dropped in the opening frame, ending it with a badly bleeding and possibly broken nose. 

Culibao was on the cusp of earning his first UFC victory in his second fight after debuting at UFC Auckland on late notice in February. 

Culibao was called in on two weeks’ notice for a lightweight bout with the dangerous Jalin Turner, who went on to score a second round TKO win. 

Coming off the best camp of his life, Culibao had trained for the featherweight bout alongside 145-pound champion Alex Volkanovsk. 

Jourdain started the bout with an attempted flying knee – Jorge Masvidal style – but Culibao narrowly avoided it. 

The Aussie landed a quick takedown in the opening minute, and maintained a dominant position in the clinch against the cage. 

Jourdain landed a heavy leg-kick, but Culibao answered with a powerful right hand after Jourdain missed a spinning backfist.

The rattled Canadian dropped to the canvas as Kuya looked for a guillotine finish while blood started dripping from Jourdain’s broken nose. 

Jourdain managed to recover and nearly locked in a guillotine of his own towards the end of a wild first round. 

A more confident Culibao closed the distance and landed a few nice rights at the start of the second round, while Jourdain looked to counter.

Culibao copped an eye poke midway through the round, but admitted it was self-inflicted. 

Jourdain applied the pressure in the closing minutes of the round, but struggled to land anything significant, before Culibao slipped on a takedown attempt and spent the last 40 seconds of the round fending off submission attempts. 

Jourdain was committed to his power shots into the third and clipped Culibao in the opening minute.

The Sydneysider rode out the attack, but was on the back foot as Jourdain spotted a Culibao level-change and attempted another guillotine attempt. 

Jourdain gained top position on the mat but couldn’t advance his position. He stood up, and landed a heavy kick to Culibao’s back side. Culibao looked and reacted as though he’d been hit low, but referee Jason Herzog ordered them to fight on. 

Jourdain came incredibly close to getting an armbar finish, but Culibao did just as well to escape it and finish the bout on his feet.