Kevin Jousset

Kevin Jousset vs. Jonathan Micallef
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jousset (-258), Micallef (+210)

Round 1
Moving right along, Australia hopes to keep its momentum going against a regional rival in New Zealand. Micallef (7-1, 0-0 UFC) springboarded into the organization thanks to a stellar showing on the Contender Series, while Jousset (10-3, 2-1 UFC) made his way here by winning on the same fight card—Hex Fight Series 26 in 2023—as his opponent did. Having swam in the same circles early on, they will come to blows in the former’s promotional debut. For the second fight of the night, referee Rich Mitchell draws the charge, clocking the welterweights in as they bump fists. The fighters immediately start out whipping kicks at one another, with Micallef starting first and eating one right back. Micallef steps in with a left hand, and he follows it by bashing Jousset in the ribs with his shin. Micallef circles and goes high with a kick, stumbling and drawing back to his feet before Jousset can get to him. Jousset picks his shots with kicks to varied targets, while Micallef is chambering and launching heavier blows. Jousset digs a kick under the guard, and he backs off but still eats a leg kick before getting away. Jousset jabs a kick forward, absorbs a body kick and follows with an overhand right. Micallef sneaks a leg over the top and connects to the body again with a kick, and he briefly thinks about clinching but backs off to reset instead. Micallef walks into a sharp jab, and a few more from the City Kickboxing fighter produce some swelling under Micallef’s right eye. They go after one another to the ribs with additional kicks, putting a lot into them as they smack into one another with heavy impact. Micallef gets one in low and it slides up to bump the cup, but Jousset waves him off to keep kicking. Jousset chips away from his preferred distance, and Micallef bears down on him to get tied up in a clinch. A few sharp uppercuts and an elbow force the break for “Air Jousset,” who then backs away to measure his target with accurate kicks. Micallef kicks low and then whips one up high that beans Jousset in the temple. Jousset goes down in a heap, but he is still with it and shakes out the cobwebs before Micallef can finish the job. Jousset climbs up to dodge another sweeping head kick, motioning that the blow was extremely close to landing. Jousset walks through a few more body kicks, but they are having an impact as he follows Micallef around. Both men score right hands, and they wrap their shins beneath one another’s guard. The ribcage of Jousset is looked especially marked up as the round closes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Micallef
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Micallef
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Micallef

Round 2
The fighters bump fists before picking up right where they left off. Micallef leads the dance with a left hand, and Jousset pays him back almost immediately in kind. Micallef slides on the outside to evade Jousset’s kicks while responding with some, but a quick head kick from Jousset gets blocked in the nick of time. They both fade back to sway and dodge punches, and their kicks have a much higher accuracy rate. Micallef kicks so hard, the impact on the rib echoes through the arena as fans go “ooh.” Jousset chips back with kicks, but power is not on his side as Micallef is turning his hips into these audible blows. Micallef strafes back and forth to disrupt Jousset’s movement, keeping his guard up to defend the high kick that inevitably comes. Micallef goes up high again, and Jousset breathes a sigh of relief that he could guard against it. Micallef swipes left hands over the top, chaining punches into kicks while staying wise to potential counters. Jousset manages to catch him with a left hand every so often, but the volume and damage are both tilted to the unbeaten fighter’s side. Jousset slams a kick into the raised guard, chasing Micallef around and pawing at him with jabs. When Jousset tries a head kick, Micallef protects himself and retaliates appropriately. Micallef sneaks a kick above the guard again, and Jousset’s eyes go wide as the crowd grows in support of their Aussie. They batter the body once more in rapid succession, with pops so loud that Mitchell smiles when hearing a heavy impact. The two trade punches and kicks while standing directly in front of one another, with Micallef beating Jousset to the punch just enough to matter. Another big head kick from Micallef dings Jousset at the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Micallef
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Micallef
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Micallef

Round 3
A final glove touch gets things going after 10 minutes of kickfighting, and they decide to do more of that. They take turns kicking at one another, with the fighters seemingly trying to outdo the other they slug it out. Micallef strafes from one side to the other to deliver a payload of a booming kick to the liver. Micallef keeps chewing up the body with successful kicks, not letting Jousset get his tempo for much more than a counter or a long pair of punches. Micallef shrugs off jabs so he can continue welting up Jousset’s sides with kicks, and he even lets Jousset kick him to open up responses. Jousset gets irritated by an exchange and walks forward with dangerous intent, tagging Micallef with lunging punches and cutting Micallef off when trying to escape. Jousset stands in the pocket too long, eating a trio of punches before Micallef can back off to reset. Micallef strides forward, kicking, punching and kicking again, and Jousset keeps his feet planted when not hurling kicks right back. Micallef doubles up on a jab to loose a head kick, and it skims the side of the dome but does not shake “Air Jousset” up. Jousset instead bites down on his gumshield and slings vicious leather, opening up a cut on the bridge of Micallef’s nose while swinging with bad intentions. Micallef circles to his right, away from the power, but not far enough away to avoid big kicks. Fans appreciate the hard work these two have put in so far, rewarding the fighters with big cheers, and the competitors show their gratitude by banging it out. Micallef kicks Jousset square in the noggin, and the City Kickboxing fighter does not bat an eye and instead is right there to throw back harder. They display inaccurate head kicks until reaching the final horn, leaving most of it in the cage after three violent rounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jousset (29-28 Micallef)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Jousset (29-28 Micallef)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Jousset (29-28 Micallef)

The Official Result
Jonathan Micallef def. Kevin Jousset via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)