The hype around Quillan Salkilld is very real. The Australian lightweight proved it once again at UFC Vegas 120, picking up his fourth straight first-round finish and the biggest win of his career by submitting Mateusz Gamrot in the opening round.
It was a huge opportunity for both fighters, but especially Salkilld, who was competing in his first UFC main event. Despite being undefeated inside the Octagon, the 26-year-old was expected to face his toughest test yet against a veteran like Gamrot, who has beaten top contenders such as Arman Tsarukyan and Rafael dos Anjos.
Gamrot did briefly threaten with a leg-lock attempt early on, but outside of that, Salkilld looked completely in control. He started by hurting Gamrot on the feet before surprising everyone with his grappling.
After clipping Gamrot with a short left hook, Salkilld forced the Polish veteran to turn to his wrestling. Gamrot quickly shot for a takedown, but Salkilld showed impressive composure off his back, reversing positions and eventually working his way back to his feet.
Then came the biggest surprise of the fight. Salkilld changed levels himself and took Gamrot down, something we don’t often see against a fighter known for putting opponents on their backs. From there, the Australian patiently worked his way to Gamrot’s back and locked in a rear-naked choke.
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Gamrot fought the submission for a few seconds, but eventually had no choice but to tap at the 4:25 mark of the opening round. Salkilld was expected to make his biggest statement through his striking, but instead, he showed that he can hang with experienced grapplers too.
And this wasn’t an isolated performance. Salkilld has been on an incredible run since entering the UFC. After scoring a 19-second TKO over Anshul Jubli in his debut and going the distance against Yanal Ashmouz, he has gone on a finishing spree.
The Australian knocked out Nasrat Haqparast with a head kick at UFC 321 before submitting Jamie Mullarkey in the first round at UFC 325. He then delivered another statement against lightweight veteran Beneil Dariush, stopping him with punches just 3:29 into the opening round. All three wins earned Salkilld Performance of the Night bonuses.
Now, Salkilld has added Gamrot to that list. The win extended his UFC winning streak to six and his overall winning streak to an impressive 13 fights. Even more impressive, four of those six UFC wins have now come in the first round.
With many of the top names in the division already booked or coming off recent fights, it’s difficult to predict who Salkilld will face next. However, he already has an opponent in mind. Salkilld called out Benoit Saint Denis for a fight at Madison Square Garden in November. If the UFC makes it happen, it could be the perfect next step for a fighter who looks more than ready for the lightweight elite.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
