Quillan Salkilld is preparing for his first main event appearance at a UFC Fight Night card this weekend in Las Vegas, where he will face Mateusz Gamrot in a five-round lightweight bout. Salkilld, ranked No. 12 by the UFC at 155 pounds, holds a 12-1 professional record and has compiled a 5-0 mark since making his UFC debut in February 2025. The 26-year-old fighter from Western Australia is the betting favorite despite facing Gamrot, who holds the No. 8 ranking with a record of 26-4 and 1 no contest.
Salkilld’s path to this main event opportunity includes notable performances such as a first-round TKO victory over veteran Beneil Dariush in May and a knockout of Nasrat Haqparast via head kick last October. Despite his success, Salkilld carries an unusual distinction: he has lost his first professional MMA bout, first amateur MMA fight, and first kickboxing match. However, he has since compiled 12 consecutive victories with nine coming by stoppage. Should he continue his rise to eventually become UFC champion, he would join a group that includes Alex Pereira, Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg, and others who won UFC titles after losing their professional debuts.
Salkilld specifically called out Gamrot for this matchup, citing his desire to face top-tier competition rather than pursuit an easier path. Gamrot, a 35-year-old Polish fighter known for his relentless wrestling and cardio, has defeated recent opponents including Arman Tsarukyan, Jalin Turner, and Rafael Fiziev. Salkilld indicated he expects takedown attempts from Gamrot, who recorded six takedowns against Tsarukyan and 11 against Rafael dos Anjos, but expressed confidence in his ability to defend and reverse position on the ground, having stopped 80 percent of takedown attempts in his UFC tenure.
Salkilld characterized himself as a complete mixed martial artist capable of finishing opponents through multiple methods. Of his stoppage victories, five have come by TKO and four by submission. The fighter noted that his performances have progressed faster than anticipated upon entering the UFC, propelling him toward the upper tier of the lightweight division. Salkilld trains in Perth, the same city where fellow Australian fighter Jack Della Maddalena trains, as Western Australia has emerged as an emerging hub for MMA talent.
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