Jourdain Downplays Vera's Skid Ahead of UFC 331 Clash

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Charles Jourdain says he isn't reading much into Chito Vera's four-fight losing streak heading into their UFC 331 bantamweight bout, pointing out that Vera fell to two former champions and dropped a pair of tight decisions rather than getting outclassed.

Jourdain, riding the longest win streak of his UFC career, will face Vera in a matchup between two of the division's most finish-hungry fighters. Vera has switched camps for the fight after his run of losses, a move Jourdain isn't convinced will change much.

What Charles Jourdain Said About Chito Vera's Losing Streak

Charles Jourdain made clear he respects what Vera has done in the bantamweight division even though he's lost his last four fights. Even though he lost his last four, it's not big losses. He lost to two former world champions, and two very close decisions to two very capable men in Aiemann Zahabi and David Martinez. The only one that was not close was the Sean O'Malley fight, and he was fighting the number one in the world.

Jourdain also isn't buying that a camp change will fix what's gone wrong for Vera. Vera has switched camps for this fight after losing four straight, and Jourdain isn't so sure that move will pay off, invoking the saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks given Vera's 17 years with coach Jason Parillo. He believes Vera may tweak things early before reverting to how he's always fought.

Why Jourdain Thinks His Featherweight Past Sets Him Apart

Jourdain, who moved up from an earlier stint at featherweight, credits that time for hardening him against the current bantamweight field. He said he was forged in a different fire than other bantamweights, having gone toe-to-toe as an undersized fighter against Jean Silva, Doo-Ho Choi, Julian Erosa and Andrei Fili. He credited the loss to Jean Silva with putting things in perspective and pushing him to make drastic changes beyond just cutting weight, saying he only became a professional 15 fights into his UFC career.

He also praised Vera's finishing instincts as a rare trait in a stacked division. Jourdain said Vera doesn't have 15 minutes to win, he has 15 minutes to finish opponents, something he respects because many ranked fighters simply know how to win rounds instead of finish. He said that respect is exactly why he was excited when matchmaker Sean Shelby told him he'd be fighting Vera.

Betting Angle

Vera enters as the more decorated name in the matchup, but four straight losses, even against the level of competition Jourdain described, tend to push a betting line toward the underdog. Jourdain's recent finishes of durable veterans like Victor Henry and Davey Grant back up his stated confidence that he can end the fight early. Jourdain said he wouldn't have accepted the matchup, and wouldn't be there, without the belief that he can finish anyone in the bantamweight division. For bettors, that finishing instinct against a fighter who has dropped four in a row is the number worth watching as fight week odds take shape.

Charles Jourdain enters the bout with real momentum, and how sportsbooks price Vera's skid against Jourdain's form will say a lot about how the market views a former title challenger trying to snap a four-fight slide at UFC 331.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Charles Jourdain fighting at UFC 331?

Charles Jourdain is set to face Chito Vera in a bantamweight bout at UFC 331.

What is Chito Vera's recent record heading into UFC 331?

Chito Vera has lost his last four fights, including a decision loss to Sean O'Malley and losses to two former champions, plus close decisions against Aiemann Zahabi and David Martinez.