Quillan Salkilld turned in one of the best performances of the year on Saturday, dominating Mateusz Gamrot en route to a first-round submission in his first UFC main event.
Salkilld (13-1) got Gamrot to tap via rear-naked choke at the 4:25 mark of the opening round at UFC Fight Night inside Meta Apex in Las Vegas. In arguably the most impressive showing of his career, the 26-year-old lightweight dominated the contest from the opening bell and produced his fourth consecutive first-round finish.
"I just proved I'm the real f---ing deal," Salkilld said. "That's just how I fight. I don't give a f--- who you are. I'm going to take it to you. I'm not going to be fighting on my back foot, allow him to punch and wrestle. I'm going to use all of the weapons in my arsenal and finish you."
Fighting out of Perth, Australia, Salkilld has made a habit of early finishes, but Saturday's contest was supposed to offer a different kind of test. Gamrot, 35, is a veteran of the sport, who went into UFC Fight Night as the No. 8-ranked lightweight in the UFC. He had previously been finished only once in his UFC career, by former champion Charles Oliveira.
Despite those credentials, Salkilld walked right through Gamrot. He mixed up his strikes on the feet, connecting with low leg kicks and effective jabs. He took Gamrot's back in the opening minutes and calmly worked out of a leglock attempt on the floor. The finish came after Salkilld surprised Gamrot with a level change and takedown in the center of the Octagon.
Gamrot fell to 9-5 in the UFC. Salkilld, meanwhile, is on a rocket ship to the top of the 155-pound division. He is 6-0 since earning a UFC contract on "Contender Series" in September 2024.
