As Quillan Salkilld prepares to face Mateusz Gamrot in his first main event fight at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, the 26-year-old Australian has been making waves in the MMA world with his meteoric rise up the lightweight rankings. Since making his UFC debut in February 2025, Salkilld has been on a tear, boasting a 5-0 record in the organization. However, what’s even more remarkable about Salkilld’s career is that he’s not only overcome a rocky start but has also become one of the most exciting young fighters in the division.

A Rocky Start to an Unstoppable Career

When asked about his early days in MMA, Salkilld revealed that he actually lost his first professional MMA fight in 2021, as well as his first amateur MMA bout and his first kickboxing bout. The Western Australian fighter had a wry sense of humor about it, saying, ‘It’s just a curse. I’m not allowed to be undefeated, that’s just the thing. I’m just not allowed to win the first one. It’s like a mulligan. We just get that one out of the way, it doesn’t count. It’s just a curse. I’m just not allowed to have that undefeated badge at any time.’

However, Salkilld’s words were laced with a sense of humor and humility, as he has gone on to achieve incredible success in his career. In fact, his impressive 12-1 record, with 5-0 in the UFC, has earned him a spot in the No. 12 ranking at 155 pounds. This Saturday, he’ll face No. 8 Mateusz Gamrot in a five-round bout that promises to be an exhilarating contest.

Speaking about his rise to the top, Salkilld said, ‘It has probably gone a bit faster than what I expected before getting into the UFC, but it just so happens that the performances I have put on have pushed me further and faster.’ The 26-year-old is one of the youngest fighters in the division, having only been a professional for five years and a member of the UFC for less than two years. Despite this, he has already produced some of the most impressive performances in the organization, including a first-round TKO of veteran Beneil Dariush in May and a highlight-reel knockout of Nasrat Haqparast via head kick last October.

One of the most interesting facts about Salkilld’s career is that he’s part of an exclusive club of fighters who have gone on to become UFC champions after losing their professional debut. Joining him in this group are the likes of Alex Pereira, Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg, Merab Dvalishvili, Jan Blachowicz, Glover Teixeira, Renan Barao, Andrei Arlovski, and countryman Jack Della Maddalena. This speaks volumes about Salkilld’s determination and resilience in the face of adversity.

When asked about his strategy going into the fight against Gamrot, Salkilld said, ‘I called out Gamrot because I want the hard fights in the division. I don’t want to cherry pick my way to the top. I want these hard fights.’ Gamrot, a relentless pressure wrestler, has some of the most intimidating cardio in the sport, with victories over the likes of Arman Tsarukyan, Jalin Turner, Rafael Fiziev, Esteban Ribovics, and former champion Rafael dos Anjos.

The Australian fighter is well aware of Gamrot’s grappling skills and has been preparing specifically for this aspect of the fight. ‘I expect to be taken down by Gamrot,’ Salkilld said. ‘But I believe the experience will only showcase my ability to pop back up quickly or reverse position against Gamrot on the ground.’

One of Salkilld’s greatest strengths is his ability to finish fights, with five of his nine stoppage wins coming by TKO and four by submission. He’s a complete mixed martial artist, with the ability to adapt to any situation in the Octagon. ‘I’m a complete mixed martial artist,’ Salkilld said. ‘I think, over points of time in my career, it has favored one aspect over another. Earlier on, especially in my amateur career, people thought I was just a grappler because I was winning all of my fights by submission. But now, in the UFC, I’ve got a few knockouts so people just think I’m a pure striker.’

As Salkilld continues to rise through the ranks, he’s becoming a beacon of hope for Western Australia’s growing MMA scene. Born just outside of Perth in a town called Pinjarra, Salkilld trains in the same city (but in different gyms) as Della Maddalena. He’s quick to remind that the Australian fighters are ‘a tough bunch out here in West Auz,’ who are ‘not special’ but are ‘just a bit more quiet and isolated’ than other cities. However, this isolation has actually worked in their favor, allowing them to focus on their training without distractions.

As Salkilld prepares to face Gamrot in what promises to be an epic battle, one thing is certain – the Australian fighter is on the rise and won’t be stopped anytime soon.