Matchup Spotlight | Nate Landwehr vs Morgan Charriere

“The Train” came into the UFC off seven straight wins, including three consecutive title fight victories on the M-1 circuit in Russia. His Octagon account got off to a rocky, 1-2 start with both losses coming via first-round knockout. His lone win against Darren Elkins provided a glimpse into the showman he could be, but consistency eluded him. The Clarksville native wasn’t deterred, and after moving his training camp to MMA Masters in Miami, he got things back on track.

First came a submission win over Ludovit Klein that continues to age well. The performance showed off Landwehr’s controlled aggression, and the finish was his first career submission. For his troubles, he scored his first performance bonus. Perhaps the most all-encompassing performance in terms of the “Nate the Train” experience came against David Onama. Landwehr was badly rocked in the first round, crashing to the canvas a pair of times before recovering and surviving until the round’s end. Landwehr swung the momentum his way when he scored a takedown and wore Onama down badly, and in the third round, Landwehr drank in all of the scenes while pushing toward the majority decision win and a Fight of the Night bonus.

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Landwehr would split his next four fights, but his submission and knockout wins over Austin Lingo and Jamall Emmers, respectively, earned him two more performance bonuses. After falling to Dooho Choi at UFC 310, Landwehr was eager to get back and get his hand raised again but was forced to wait until a broken hand healed. 

Morgan Charriere

France’s Charriere entered the UFC with a reputation for putting on spectacular fights and winning in spectacular fashion. After winning the Cage Warriors featherweight title, Charriere made his much-anticipated UFC debut in Paris and scored a TKO win via body kicks over Manolo Zecchini, earning a performance bonus for his troubles. 

Similar to Landwehr, Charriere has struggled to find his groove in the Octagon. He fell in his sophomore appearance to Chepe Mariscal via split decision, which still earned the pair a Fight of the Night nod. He recovered to the tune of a knockout win in Paris at UFC Fight Night: Moicanovs Saint Denis, earning his third consecutive performance bonus, but he followed that with a decision loss to Nathaniel Wood in London at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady.

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Despite his .500 record in the Octagon, Charriere still holds plenty of potential and intrigue in the ultra-competitive featherweight division.

Meeting in the Middle

With both men’s bouts averaging less than 10 minutes per outing, one can safely assume Landwehr and Charriere won’t need the judges’ scorecards when they make the walk in Bridgestone Arena. Landwehr is particularly eager to perform, as the fight is his first in his home state since 2016.

Stylistically, it’s likely this fight will take place on the feet for the most part. Charriere averages nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes, but Landwehr’s 74 percent takedown defense is good for ninth overall among active featherweights. As long as he can stay upright, Landwehr will have the chance to wear on his opponents. He averages 5.59 strikes landed per minute, which ranks fifth among active featherweights, and he is every bit the “live or die by the sword” type he advertises himself to be.

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A quirky stat that speaks to the action both men welcome is that Landwehr and Charriere both absorb more strikes than they land, which means they are both willing to stand, trade and live in the fire if it means possibly getting their opponent out of there early.