Andre Fili earned a split decision victory over Charles Jourdain tonight in a competitive scrap at UFC On ESPN 10.
Round One:
Body kick for Jourdain. Now a couple of punches upstairs too. Big swing and a miss from him on a hook.
Punch from Jourdain gets through, but Fili lands a solid counter too. Hard kick for Fili.
Left hand for Jourdain. Kick for Fili. Right hand over the top from Jourdain. Now a body kick and one in response from Fili.
Kick upstairs from Jourdain misses. Body punch from Jourdain and then briefly thinks about a takedown. Hard body kick for Fili.
Spinning back kick to the body from Jourdain. Now a hard body kick. Another kick from Jourdain comes off the arm. Power kick to the body from Fili.
Fili ducks underneath a spinning backfist attempt from Jourdain. Another kick to the arm of Fili.
Big punch lands from Jourdain and drops Fili. He seems ok though and is defending and then gets back to his feet.
Another punch gets through for Jourdain. Now a front kick to the body. Leg kick for Fili. Jourdain throwing wildly, but gets caught on the counter from Fili. Fili gets him down and ends the round strongly.
Round Two:
Front kick to the body from Jourdain and a body kick in return from Fili. Jab for Fili and a leg kick for Jourdain.
Jab from Fili again and again a leg kick comes back in response. Same things happens again. Low leg kick for Jourdain.
Jab and then a head kick attempt from Fili. Leg kick for Jourdain. Body kick from Jourdain and a head kick attempt in return from FIli.
Front kick to the body for Jourdain and then back to hte leg kick. Fili lands it too. Right hand sneaks through from Jourdain.
Left hand for Fili. Spinning attak from Jourdain. Right hand for Fili. Hard leg kick for Jourdain. Solid left hand for Fili.
Another kick from Jourdain bounces off Fili’s upper arm. Crips jab for Fili. Quick right hand from him. Oblique kick from Jourdain and then another leg kick.
Jab for Jourdain. Right hand for FIli. Leg kick counter from Jourdain and then steps in hard to another. Jabs from Fili after a leg kick.
Head kick attempt from Fili doesn’t quite connect. Right hook for Jourdain. Jab from FIli, leg kick counter for Jourdain.
Fili catches Jourdain off-guard with a takedown, but doesn’t keep him down for long. Punch for Fili. Left hand from Jourdain. He misses with an uppercut and Fili lands a counter just before the buzzer.
Round Three:
Left hand for JOurdain and then a hard body kick. ANother lands. left hook for Fili and then a head kick attempt.
Another exchange in close. Good jab for Fili and a leg kick counter from Jourdain. Body kick for Jourdain. Left hand for Fili.
Spinning backfist from Jourdain misses. Good straight left from Jourdain. Hard body kick from Fili. Right hook for Fili and then a straight through the guard.
Body punch for Fili. Jourdain with a brief combo. Flying knee attempt from Jourdain. Fili lands a takedown with three minutes remaining in the fight.
Jourdain rolls to his knees and stands, but Fili has his back and hoists him up and puts him down again. Again Jourdain stands and escapes this time.
Body kick from Fili. JOurdain with punches. Fili works the jab. Frenzied exchange of punches there. LEft hand lands for Fili. Punch from Jourdain. Body kick from Fili, leg kick for Jourdain.
Jab for Fili, jab for Jourdain. A couple of punches from Jourdain snap Fili’s head back. Leg kick from Jourdain. Jab for Fili.
Missed hook from Jourdain and Fili tries for a takedown, but it’s stuffed. Back to striking range. High kick attempt from Fili and then lands a takedown. Fili keeping Jourdain down this time in the final 20 seconds. FIli with a few punches as he tries to ensure this round will go on his favor as we head to the judges decision.
Decision:
Close, hard-fought battle here then, and that’s reflected in a split decision verdict, but it’s Fili who eventually gets his hand raised (29-28 x2, 28-29).
