First round masterclass: Quillan Salkilld wins over Mateusz Gamrot in a dominant fashon

Last night in Las Vegas, lightweight prospect Quillan Salkilld extended his first-round finishing streak, picking up his 13th career win over Mateusz Gamrot via rear-naked choke. After many doubts about his ability to go to the ground with such an experienced wrestler, Salkilld put on a masterclass performance both on and off his feet and ultimately got the win by submission.

UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas proved to everyone that Quillan Salkilld is the real deal. Not only did he display high-level grappling and BJJ, his timing on the feet was once again a huge reason for the outcome of the fight. The Australian fighter silenced the doubters, and after this win, he is aiming for his spot in the top 5 of the lightweight division.

Another Easy Night for Quillan Salkilld, Extends Win Streak to 13

Quillan started the fight on a strong foot after lending a nice straight left at the beginning of the first round, which rocked Gamrot. After going to the ground, Mateusz came out on top in a scramble, trying to lock his opponent in a leg lock. Salkilld was able to escape the submission, and the moment his leg passed the hips of Gamrot, he went for the back and got it instantly.

After locking in the body triangle, it was just a matter of time before he broke through the defenses of Gamrot. Near the end of the round, he locked the neck of the Polish fighter, which, in the end, proved to be the winning submission.

This marked his fourth consecutive first-round finish and 13th overall career win. Quillan will now enter the top 10 of the lightweight division and, as he stated, will be looking to get a fight with a top 5-ranked opponent.

The Next Logical Opponent Isn't That Clear

As stated before, Salkilld called for a fight with someone from the top 5. However, the situation up there isn't that simple right now. Two fights he won't get no matter what are Arman Tsarukyan and Ilia Topuria.

Tsarukyan is scheduled to fight Mauricio Ruffy in late Sep., and Ilia, even if available, would be a bit too big of a challenge for now. On top of that, Topuria does have two fights that will likely happen, either a rematch for the title or Paddy Pimblett.

Charles Oliveira should be out of the picture, since he pulled out of the Arman Tsarukyan fight due to a passing of his good friend and teammate, Allan Nascimento. So the only name that sticks out is Max Holloway.

However, if we dismiss the call for the peak of the division, sitting one spot above Salkilld is a fighter who could be the next best thing for the young Australian. The man in question is Benoit Saint-Denis.

The Frenchman lost his fight to Pimblett not too long ago and will be looking to bounce back with a notable win over a good contender. If we look at the direction of their careers and the dates of their last fights, this bout makes the most sense. Both being lethal finishers on and off the ground and sitting just below the top 5 of the division, fans would be in for one of the most entertaining fights of this year, with high stakes.

So in reality there is a good matchup for Quillan. The only question is, will he push for a fight with someone from the top 5, or will he work his way through the top 10, solidifying himself as a real threat to the contenders above him?