| Kevin Jousset | |
| Other Names: | Air |
| Birth Date: | 1993 5, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Bordeaux, France |
| Weight Lb: | 170.5 |
| Weight Class: | Welterweight (2019–2022, 2023–present) Middleweight (2022–2023) |
| Reach: | 75 in[1] |
| Fighting Out Of: | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Team: | Absolute MMA (2016–2020) City Kickboxing (2020–present) |
| Trainer: | Eugene Bareman |
| Rank: | 2nd dan black belt in Judo[2] |
| Years Active: | 2019–present |
| Mma Kowin: | 4 |
| Mma Subwin: | 1 |
| Mma Decwin: | 5 |
| Mma Koloss: | 1 |
| Mma Decloss: | 1 |
| Am Win: | 2 |
| Am Kowin: | 1 |
| Sherdog: | 300519 |
Kevin Jousset (born 2 May 1993) is a French professional mixed martial artist, currently competing in the Welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2019, Jousset formerly competed for the Hex Fight Series in Australia, where he has been the first simultaneous double Welterweight and Middleweight Champion.
Kevin Jousset was born on 2 May 1993[3] [4] in Bordeaux, France[5] [6] and then quickly moved with his family to Gap where he grew up.[6] Jousset started judo as a child and received his 2nd dan black belt at the age of 14.[6] He pursued his judo career along with other French prospects at the Rennes Academy and Bordeaux France Academy before moving to Paris and joining INEF and INSEP.[7]
Unfortunately, he had to stop his career after a serious shoulder injury and chose to spend one year and a half in Scotland for learning English at the age of 21.[7] [8] Two years later, he moved to Melbourne, Australia in November 2016 where he got a fitness coach diploma and started mixed martial arts.[7] [8]
Jousset quickly joined Absolute MMA in Melbourne where he met Alexander Volkanovski and elite grappler Craig Jones. He stayed there for four years and prepared his first fights with the team.[9] After a few amateur wins, he made his professional debut in March 2019 at Hex Fight Series 18 and went on to win the bout via knockout with a knee strike in the first round.[10] For his third professional fight, he lost against Jack Della Maddalena on 4 October at Eternal MMA 48 for the EMMA Welterweight Championship after a doctor stoppage at the end of round 2.[11] He then settled down in Auckland, New Zealand in January 2020 and joined City Kickboxing where he made a training camp the previous year.[12]
In 2023, he became the first fighter ever to become a two-division champion in the Australian elite MMA promotion HEX Fight Series after winning the HEX Vacant Middleweight Belt in February and then the HEX Welterweight Belt in May.[2] [13] [14]
In August 2023, Jousset signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after becoming the first HEX double champion.[15] His City Kickboxing teammate and friend Israel Adesanya as well as his coach Eugene Bareman recommended to the UFC staff to sign him after Jousset's progress and dominance in training.[16] On 10 September 2023, he made his promotional debut against Irish fighter Kiefer Crosbie at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia and won by submitting him with a rear-naked choke at the end of round one.[17] Following his fast win, he called out fellow UFC Welterweight Ian Machado Garry in an attempt to continue the theme of defeating Irish fighters.[17]
Jousset faced Song Kenan on 9 December at UFC Fight Night 233.[18] He won the fight via unanimous decision with all three judges scoring 30–27 for the Frenchman.[19] For his third bout in the UFC, he was scheduled to face Jared Gooden on 11 May 2024 at UFC on ESPN 56.[20] However, for medical reasons, Gooden was unable to compete and the bout was cancelled.[21]
Jousset is scheduled to face Bryan Battle on 28 September 2024 at UFC Fight Night 243.[22]
|-|Win|align=center|10–2|Song Kenan|Decision (unanimous)| ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|9–2|Kiefer Crosbie|Submission (rear-naked choke)|UFC 293||align=center|1|align=center|4:49|Sydney, Australia||-|Win|align=center|8–2|Kitt Campbell|TKO (punches)|Hex Fight Series 26 ||align=center|3|align=center|4:53|Melbourne, Australia||-|Win|align=center|7–2|Priscus Fogagnolo|Decision (split)|Hex Fight Series 25||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Melbourne, Australia||-|Win|align=center|6–2|James Craughwell|Decision (unanimous)|Shuriken Fight Series 13||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Auckland, New Zealand||-|Loss|align=center|5–2|Kaleb Rideout|Decision (split)|Eternal MMA 67||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Gold Coast, Australia||-|Win|align=center|5–1|Saeed Fatahifar|Decision (majority)|Eternal MMA 59||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Melbourne, Australia||-|Win|align=center|4–1|Paul McMah|TKO (knee and punches)|Shuriken Fight Series 9||align=center|1|align=center|2:39|Auckland, New Zealand||-|Win|align=center|3–1|Mat Myers|Decision (unanimous)|Hex Fight Series 20||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Melbourne, Australia||-|Loss|align=center|2–1|Jack Della Maddalena|TKO (doctor stoppage)|Eternal MMA 48||align=center|2|align=center|5:00|Melbourne, Australia||-|Win|align=center|2–0|James O'Brien|TKO (elbows)|Eternal MMA 45||align=center|1|align=center|2:32|Southport, Australia||-|Win|align=center|1–0|Sam McNally|KO (knee)|Hex Fight Series 18||align=Center|1|align=center|1:01|Melbourne, Australia|
|-|Win|align=center|2–0|Marc Luty|KO (slam)|Eternal MMA 38||align=center|1|align=center|2:17|Findon, Australia||-|Win|align=center|1–0|Jayden Groen||Path to Hex 6||||Melbourne, Australia|