Quillan
Salkilld has set timeline for himself to fight for a
UFC title.
Salkilld made his UFC debut in 2024 and has fast-tracked his way
towards the top. Salkilld has finished three of his four UFC
outings, knocking out the likes of Nasrat
Haqparast and Jamie
Mullarkey in his last two outings. However, the consistent
upgrade in Salkilld’s circumstances has also come by luck. Salkilld
got the opportunity to fight Mullarkey after the latter’s original
opponent, Jimmy
Crute, pulled out. And luck has struck once again for Salkilld
in his upcoming bout. The Australian is scheduled to face his
steepest step up in competition in Beneil
Dariush at UFC Perth
on May 2. Salkilld once again got a short-notice opportunity after
Dariush’s original opponent, Manuel
Torres, pulled out.
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‘Speed Running This S–t’
“I’m speed running this s—t,” Salkilld told Australian MMA. “I didn’t expect it to go this
quick, but we could be ranked real real soon. I literally winging
it my way to the top… Each fight has been, ‘Oh, this guy pulled
out, can you jump in?’… I’m just speed running this s—t due to
other people’s misfortunes.”
At the rate Salkilld’s opponents are upgrading, the Australian
believes he could get a title shot by the end of 2027 or early
2028.
“Maybe towards the end of next year… Realistically, towards the end
of next year, or early 2028,” he said.
Salkilld (11-1) is undefeated in 11 straight outings since his lone
professional loss in his debut in 2021. Meanwhile, Dariush (23-7)
has been a perennial lightweight contender, consistently fighting
top-tier opponents. While Dariush is 1-3 in his last four, his
losses came against Charles
Oliveira, Arman
Tsarukyan, and most recently, Benoit St.
Denis.