Aussie rising star's sights set on UFC
One of the rising stars of Australian mixed martial arts is hoping to make the kind of ‘noise’ at HEX Fight Series 29 that can lead to a contract in the UFC.
Not that Jono Micallef’s career isn’t already shaking up the local fight scene. If there was any doubt around the 24 year-old’s credentials, he buried those with an upset win - by unanimous decision - in a brutal contest with Joey Luciano at HEX 28 last November.
The victory took Micallef’s professional record to 5-0 and set up his next fight, against Aldin Bates, just five months later, at Hex FS 29 in March.
Micallef is anticipating another tough contest against an experienced fighter renowned for his power.
“Everyone knows that Aldin has got power in both his hands,” Micallef said. “He’s a big strong heavy hitter.
“We also know that it’s going to be a five-round fight. So, similar to Luciano, if we can take it to those deeper waters, suck a bit of the power out from him, then see if we can potentially finish him in those later rounds.”
“Once again, he’s very experienced, especially compared to myself, who’s only had five professional fights. He’s a guy that’s had almost triple the amount of fights that I have had.
“But I also know that I can beat him in many areas and me and my team have come up with a game plan that we decided to come together with. Now it’s just a matter of time to put it to the test and see if we’re right or wrong once again.”
Micallef didn’t always have the support of a team when it came to holding his own. As one of nine children - four of them brothers – he was given a daily crash course in combat while growing up.
“Mum and dad were always busy tending to the young kids because they were babies,” he said. “It sort of gave us boys a lot of time to get into mischief and fight with each other and wrestle.
“I think a little bit of what I’ve been doing has started from a long time ago when I was just a young one fighting with my brothers.”
Micallef knows a statement win in the octagon on Saturday 2 March at Melbourne Pavilion could be the catalyst for a UFC contract – a route taken by fellow HEX FS alumni Israel Adesanya and Kevin Jousett.
“The picture-perfect move for me would either be move to the Contender series and have a fight there, or to jump the queue and get straight int a UFC contract, which is a little bit more rare. You don’t quite here about that as often, but either of those would be my perfect next point from here on out,” he said.
“I think I just need to make a little bit more noise and hopefully I can make enough noise come Hex 29.”
