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UFC simulation vs. the market Bout Simulator
Jonathan Micallef
Welterweight · “The Captain”

Jonathan Micallef

3-0-0
Hard To Take Down Durable
6'0"Height
77"Reach
SouthpawStance
27Age
0KO wins
1Sub wins
33.3%Finish rate
12:50Avg fight

Skill profile

Rated 0–100 · where 138 MMA has read him, his grades and tags set each axis and the stats only nudge inside his band · stats alone where he is silent · the rim is reserved for specialists
Striking — Average, rated 62 of 100 · 138 MMA: striking good · Apr 2026 · stats read 53 → nudged -2 inside the band · claims striking technique +2, kicking +3 (+6) Accuracy — Average, rated 46 of 100 · claims striking technique +2 (+4) Striking D — Below avg, rated 34 of 100 · 138 MMA whiteboard: striking defence marked as a minus · stats read 46 → nudged +4 inside the band · claims striking defense -3 (-6) Durability — Average, rated 65 of 100 · stats only — nothing in his reads bears on this axis Wrestling — Average, rated 52 of 100 · 138 MMA: wrestling good · Feb 2025 · stats read 26 → nudged -11 inside the band · claims td offense +3 (+6) TD Defense — Above avg, rated 75 of 100 · 138 MMA tag td defense: good · Apr 2026 · stats read 65 → nudged -3 inside the band · claims td defense +2 (+4) Grappling — Average, rated 52 of 100 · 138 MMA: grappling good · Apr 2026 · stats read 42 → nudged -5 inside the band Control — Average, rated 47 of 100 · claims top control +2 (+8) Striking Accuracy Striking D Durability Wrestling TD Defense Grappling Control
striking good
4 analyst reads graded this phase
  • good UFC Fight Night Della Maddalena vs Prates Full Card Preview & Predictions · April 26, 2026 watch ↗
  • good UFC 325 Analysis, Breakdown, & Predictions · January 25, 2026 watch ↗
  • good UFC Fight Night Ulberg vs Reyes Full Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · September 23, 2025 watch ↗
  • decent UFC 312 Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · February 4, 2025 watch ↗
grappling good
3 analyst reads graded this phase
  • good UFC Fight Night Della Maddalena vs Prates Full Card Preview & Predictions · April 26, 2026 watch ↗
  • good UFC 325 Analysis, Breakdown, & Predictions · January 25, 2026 watch ↗
  • good UFC Fight Night Ulberg vs Reyes Full Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · September 23, 2025 watch ↗
wrestling good
1 analyst read graded this phase
  • good UFC 312 Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · February 4, 2025 watch ↗
cardio not yet read
durability not yet read
striking good 4 reads
grappling good 3 reads
wrestling good 1 read
cardio not yet read
durability not yet read

138 MMA anchors Striking, Striking D, Wrestling, TD Defense, Grappling · his tags and claims adjust Accuracy, Control · stats alone on Durability.

Built on 38 minutes of tracked cage time across 3 statted fights — every axis is held down until there is more tape, so read this as a sketch rather than a verdict.

Hard To Take Down above avg td defense — rates 75 of 100 · 138 MMA tag td defense: good · Apr 2026
Durable average durability — rates 65 of 100 among UFC veterans
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min4.13
Sig. strikes absorbed / min3.79
Striking accuracy43.8%
Striking defense57.1%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.39
Takedowns / 15 min0.78
Takedown accuracy40.0%
Takedown defense71.4%
Sub attempts / 15 min0.39
Control time13.4%
Record vs .500+ opponents3-0

Insider info

4 analyst reads · 138 MMA · our paraphrase, never his words
vs Themba Gorimbo clear UFC Fight Night Della Maddalena vs Prates Full Card Preview & Predictions · April 26, 2026
strikinggood grapplinggood wrestlinggood

calls the matchup cut and dry; names a specific winning mechanism (ground control)

Jonathan Micallef is a good striker who links his one-two directly into a takedown and uses kicks to all levels including a heavy body kick, but he has a real striking-defense hole that could let a power puncher hurt him. On the ground he is a good grappler with solid takedown defense, good takedowns timed off his strikes, and good top control. A wrestling-heavy approach is called the clearly optimal path for him to beat Gorimbo.

Strengthgood one-two leading into takedowns
Strengthgood kicks, including a heavy body kick
Strengthgood takedown defense and top control
Weaknessstriking defense is not good
td defense · good
vs Oban Elliott coinflip UFC 325 Analysis, Breakdown, & Predictions · January 25, 2026 · 1 read since
strikinggood grapplinggood wrestlinggood

Explicit hedge on the outcome itself: he calls the fight close and competitive and says it's one he could see go to either man, before the bare closing pick.

Called very well-rounded: a good striker whose one-two sets up his takedown entries, and kicks to all levels that he has 'really been working' and that landed as brutal in his last outing. His striking defense is flagged as leaving something to be desired. His grappling is good, with good takedown defense and solid takedown entries that come off the end of his strikes, plus good top control.

Strengthgood one-two leading into takedowns
Strengthkicks to all levels (developing)
Strengthgood takedown defense
Strengthgood takedowns off strikes
Strengthgood top control
Weaknessstriking defense leaves something to be desired
td defense · good
vs Oban Elliott clear UFC Fight Night Ulberg vs Reyes Full Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · September 23, 2025 · 2 reads since
strikinggood grapplinggood wrestlinggood

A one-directional case (cleaner striker, comparable grappling, underdog price called strange) with no conceded path for Elliott beyond general durability; the closing hedge is his standard generic sign-off, not an analytical concession.

Rated the tidier of the two strikers on this card specifically because of his kicking, pairing a one-two that flows into a takedown attempt with a varied kick arsenal at every level. His wrestling is also rated well -- defending takedowns and getting his own, following the hands in. Guarding against return fire is called an area still needing work.

Strengthtidier striker of the two, varied kicking at every level
Strengtha one-two that flows straight into a takedown attempt
Strengthdefends takedowns well and gets his own
Weaknessguarding against return strikes is called an area still needing work
td defense · good
vs Kevin Jousset lean UFC 312 Full Card Analysis, Prediction & Breakdown · February 4, 2025 · 3 reads since
strikingdecent wrestlinggood

He calls it 'a close fight' before picking Jousset on experience and takedown defense, then separately says he will probably skip betting it as a heavy favorite.

Micallef, debuting in the UFC, is a decent striker whose one-two is really there to set up his wrestling, and he can sneak in head kicks when an opponent drops their hands to defend the takedown; his striking defense itself is not good and he will get hit. His best path is a good wrestling game with good takedown defense, good takedowns and good top control once he gets there.

Strengthone-two sets up his wrestling entries
Strengthsurprise head kicks against opponents defending the takedown low
Strengthgood wrestling: good takedown defense, good takedowns, good top control
Weaknessstriking defense is not good, will get hit if he engages on the feet

Striking trend

Sig. strikes/min, last 3 fights · green = win
February 8, 2025 vs Kevin Jousset — 5.67/min (W) Feb '25 January 31, 2026 vs Oban Elliott — 2.23/min (W) Jan '26 May 2, 2026 vs Themba Gorimbo — 3.67/min (W) May '26

Fight history

3 UFC bouts · newest first · opponent records as of fight night
W Themba Gorimbo 14-6 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates · May 2, 2026
55/112Sig. strikes
39/90Absorbed
1/4Takedowns
3:26Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Oban Elliott 3-1 walk-in Submission · R2 3:31 — UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2 · January 31, 2026
19/59Sig. strikes
40/82Absorbed
1/1Takedowns
1:35Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Kevin Jousset 10-3 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 · February 8, 2025
85/192Sig. strikes
67/168Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:09Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts

Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.

Record breakdown

UFC bouts in this database
3-0-0UFC record

Wins by method

KO/TKO 0
Submission 1
Decision 2
Other 0

Losses by method

KO/TKO 0
Submission 0
Decision 0
Other 0

Fights by organization

UFC 3

Showing UFC fights only — this fighter's full pre-UFC career hasn't been synced yet. It will fill in as the weekly career backfill reaches them.

Division context

vs. 189 qualified Welterweight fighters · tick = division mean
Striking volume /min 4.1 avg 3.4
Strikes absorbed /min 3.8 avg 3.3
Striking accuracy 43.8% avg 45.1%
Striking defense 57.1% avg 55.2%
Takedowns /15 min 0.8 avg 1.5
Takedown accuracy 40.0% avg 40.2%
Takedown defense 71.4% avg 62.6%
Sub attempts /15 min 0.4 avg 0.6
Control time 13.4% avg 21.5%
Finish rate 33.3% avg 53.9%

Headshot of Jonathan Micallef by UFC · Official UFC athlete photo (copyright UFC; not freely licensed) · Wikimedia Commons · flattened onto dark background, cropped/resized