Charles Jourdain, Sean Woodson Set for UFC 297 Featherweight Scrap

🚨🚨BREAKING🚨🚨

Another Canadian added to the Toronto card on January 20th. Charles Jourdain (@JourdainAir) takes on Sean Woodson (@STL_Sniper_314) at #UFC297 in the featherweight division. pic.twitter.com/VOEl1bNfi7

— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) November 9, 2023

Two featherweights on the outside of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s top 15 looking in will do battle in Toronto early next year.

Canada's Charles Jourdain (15-6) will throw down with Dana White's Contender Series alum Sean Woodson (10-1) at the UFC 297 card set to take place on Jan. 20 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The event will be the company’s first in Canada’s most populous city since UFC 231 in 2018. The booking was first announced by Eurosport Nederland on Wednesday, and subsequently confirmed by Woodson and the promotion on Thursday.

Jourdain is currently on a two-fight winning streak and is coming off a first-round submission victory over Ricardo Ramos in September. Before that, the Quebec native notched a unanimous decision victory against Kron Gracie at UFC 288. “Air” celebrates an 87% finish rate, which includes four stoppages in the Octagon over the likes of the aforementioned Ramos, as well as Lando Vannata, Doo Ho Choi and Marcelo Rojo.

Meanwhile, Woodson will enter the cage with a four-fight unbeaten streak at his back, although activity has not been the highest for “The Sniper.” Author of just one outing in 2022–a draw with Luis Saldana–Woodson also made just one appearance in 2023, when he topped Dennis Buzukja on the scorecards. Woodson does not post nearly as many wins inside the distance as his opponent, celebrating just two stoppages dating back the last five years.

UFC 297 will be headlined by middleweight champion Sean Strickland in his first defense against Dricus Du Plessis, which will go down in the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The Jan. 20 pay-per-view will also feature a litany of additional fights bringing at least Canadian to the table, including Mike Malott against Neil Magny at 170 pounds, Marc-Andre Barriault facing Chris Curtis at middleweight, and Brad Katona stepping up against Garrett Armfield in a bantamweight clash.