UFC Perth takes a hit, Oban Elliott is out due to illness

The UFC Perth card has suffered yet another setback with the cancellation of the Oban Elliott vs. Jonathan Micallef welterweight bout, just days before Saturday's event at the RAC Arena. This marks the second significant fight cancellation for the Perth card, further diminishing what was already considered a thin lineup.

Oban Elliott's Unfortunate Withdrawal

The UFC officially confirmed Thursday that Oban Elliott had been removed from his scheduled welterweight clash against Australia's Jonathan Micallef due to illness. The promotion provided no additional details regarding Elliott's specific health condition, simply stating: “Due to illness, Oban Elliott has been removed from his welterweight bout with Jonathan Micallef”.

Oban Elliott vs. Jonathan Micallef is OFF Saturday’s #UFCPerth, per promotion. Elliott illness. pic.twitter.com/1Rsowtqtzx

— Nolan King (@mma_kings) September 26, 2025

Elliott, nicknamed “The Welsh Gangster,” was visibly disappointed by the withdrawal, reposting the news on his Instagram story with a broken heart emoji attached to it. This bout represented a crucial opportunity for the 27-year-old to bounce back from his first UFC defeat – a unanimous decision loss to Seok Hyeon Ko in June that snapped his eight-fight winning streak.

The Welshman had been particularly motivated heading into this fight, having expressed his eagerness for redemption following that setback. Just last week, Elliott had told media outlets about his determination to “turn the upside down beat Micallef in Perth”. With a professional record of 12-3, Elliott was looking to return to his winning ways after starting his UFC career with three consecutive victories before the Ko defeat.

The cancellation particularly stings for Jonathan Micallef, who loses the chance to compete in front of his home Australian crowd. The 26-year-old Australian fighter boasts an impressive 8-1 professional record and was riding a three-fight winning streak heading into this matchup. Micallef had earned his UFC contract through the Contender Series, where he submitted the formerly undefeated Mohamed Ado in the first round.

In his UFC debut at UFC 312, Micallef had shown his potential by defeating Kevin Jousset via unanimous decision, handing “Air” the first back-to-back losses of his career. This fight against Elliott would have represented a significant step up in competition and a chance to establish himself further in the welterweight division in front of supportive home fans.

Perth Card Hit by Multiple Cancellations

The Elliott-Micallef cancellation compounds the troubles that have plagued UFC Perth in recent weeks. The event had already lost its original co-main event when Junior Tafa was forced to withdraw from his light heavyweight bout against Ibo Aslan due to injury. That cancellation occurred less than two weeks before the event, with Tafa's withdrawal announced on September 18.

The loss of the Tafa-Aslan fight was particularly significant given the Tafa brothers' history of fight cancellations. Between Junior and his brother Justin Tafa, reports indicate that 12 fights have been canceled over their careers, leading to fan frustration with the family's reliability. The UFC had to restructure the card, promoting Jimmy Crute vs. Ivan Erslan to the new co-main event position.

🚨| Junior Tafa vs. Ibo Aslan is OFF #UFCPerth on September 27th. ❌

Injury for Tafa. 🏥 pic.twitter.com/FZVX2LIrVo

— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) September 18, 2025

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These cancellations have left UFC Perth with 13 fights remaining on the card, down from what was originally planned as a more robust lineup. The event has faced criticism for its lack of star power, with some Australian media outlets predicting the RAC Arena would only be “half full” on fight night due to poor ticket sales.

Despite these setbacks, UFC Perth still features several compelling matchups headlined by the light heavyweight clash between Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes. The main event serves as a potential title eliminator, with New Zealand's Ulberg (13-1) looking to extend his eight-fight winning streak against former title challenger Reyes (15-4), who has won three consecutive fights.

The card will proceed without a replacement for Elliott vs. Micallef, as the UFC opted not to seek a late-notice opponent for the Australian fighter. This decision aligns with the promotion's typical approach when fighters withdraw within 48 hours of an event, as finding quality replacements on such short notice proves extremely challenging.

For Elliott, the focus now shifts to recovery and securing a new bout date. The Welsh fighter will likely be rescheduled for a future card once he has fully recovered from his illness. As for Micallef, he'll have to wait for another opportunity to compete in front of his home Australian audience, though his stock remains high following his promising UFC debut.