UFC 325: Jonathan Micallef vs Oban Elliott Preview & Prediction
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Originally slated to throw down in September 2025, Jonathan Micallef takes on Oban Elliott at welterweight after their initial matchup fell through.
Jonathan Micallef vs Oban Elliott facts
What time are Jonathan Micallef and Oban Elliott expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 325? Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
Where can I get tickets for UFC 325? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 325
What TV channel is UFC 325 on? UK – TNT Sports Box Office / USA – Not televised
Where can I stream UFC 325? UK – TNT Sports subscribers who have paid for the fight can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 325: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 main card
Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes (Featherweight)
Dan Hooker vs Benoit Saint Denis (Lightweight)
Rafael Fiziev vs Mauricio Ruffy (Lightweight)
Tai Tuivasa vs Tallison Teixeira (Heavyweight)
Quillan Salkilld vs Jamie Mullarkey (Lightweight)
UFC 325: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 prelims
Junior Tafa vs Billy Elekana (Light Heavyweight)
Cameron Rowston vs Cody Brundage (Middleweight)
Jacob Malkoun vs Torrez Finney (Middleweight)
Jonathan Micallef vs Oban Elliott (Welterweight)
Kaan Ofli vs Yi Zha (Featherweight)
Kim Sang-wook vs Dom Mar Fan (Lightweight)
Keiichiro Nakamura vs Sebastian Szalay (Featherweight)
Sulang Rangbo vs Lawrence Lui (Bantamweight)
Jonathan Micallef: Miccalef looks to underline that he is "The Captain" now in front of his home crowd
Punching his ticket into the UFC via DWCS with a technical submission victory over an undefeated prospect in Mohammed Ado, Jonathan Micallef (8-1) marked his debut with an impressive unanimous decision win over Kevin Jousset at UFC 312, besting the CKB alum with a dynamic striking showcase. He's not just a striker either; an aggressive offensive wrestler, Micallef leverages his reach and striking skills to close the distance and land his takedowns. It's also worth noting that “The Captain” has an enormous reach for the division at 77’. The 26 year old Australian enters this contest on the back of a three fight winning streak, with his last, and only, career defeat coming by TKO to Aldin Bates in March 2024.
Oban Elliott: Can "The Welsh Gangster" rebound from a disappointing 2025?
Things did not go exactly according to plan last time out for former Cage Warriors standout Oban Elliott (12-3) last time out. Despite closing as a considerable favorite, “The Welsh Gangster” found himself rag-dolled for three rounds by UFC debutant Seok Hyeon Ko, coughing up a unanimous decision and his undefeated UFC record to boot. A well-rounded combatant in all areas of the game, the best element of Elliott’s game is undoubtedly his grappling; making the manner of his defeat to Ko all the more shocking. As such, Chael Sonnen’s protege returns with a point to prove in his first fight of 2026, having competed just once last year due to illness and visa issues.
Jonathan Micallef vs Oban Elliott prediction
Bounced from the pair's initial pairing with illness, Elliott may be entering this matchup with renewed drive and focus but the manner of his first UFC defeat was more than a little concerning. The Welshman’s grappling has long been touted as the best part of his overall MMA game, but it did nothing to stop him from getting absolutely man-handled on the ground by an opponent without a UFC victory under his belt at the time.
As such, things don’t look good for “The Welsh Gangster” here, even if he is a slight favorite with the bookmakers. Miccalef hasn’t proven his grappling is capable of handling elite level competition, but “The Captain’s” relentless pressure wrestling style seems tailor made to give the Welshman fits if the same version of Elliott that fought Ko shows up on Saturday night.
That's to say nothing of the Aussie's purported advantage on the feet; Elliot is a fairly limited striker and Miccalef tuned Kevin Jousset up on the feet last time out. He’s also got a sneaky head kick that he used to drop the Frenchman in their match up, and his opponent has proven somewhat susceptible to leaning into kicks on occasion.
On the other hand, it's worth noting that the Australian has been chinned before; losing by KO on the feet in his only professional loss to Aldin Bates. While Elliott is primarily a grappler at heart, the Welshman still has some sneaky power in his fists. Case in point, Bassil Hafez was renowned for his iron chin before Elliott flattened him with punches and nasty follow up shots at UFC 309.
Flipping the odds from the first time this matchup was announced, Micallef actually closes as a slight favorite. It could go either way but the tentative pick is for "The Captain's" dogged pressure and striking advantage to earn him a decision victory in home territory.
Prediction: Jonathan Micallef to win by decision
