“That would be epic”: Quillan Salkilld calls for Paddy Pimblett fight in New York

Quillan Salkilld needed just one round to make a statement in his first UFC main event. The Australian lightweight delivered a spectacular performance against top-ranked contender Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Vegas 120. He submitted the Polish veteran late in the first round via rear-naked choke.

The victory marked the biggest win of Salkilld's UFC career and earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.

Following the impressive victory, Salkilld made it clear that he wanted his next fight to be against someone from the lightweight top five. The Australian has now doubled down on that goal and identified British star Paddy Pimblett as his preferred opponent.

Quillan Salkilld calls for Paddy Pimblett showdown in November

Salkilld recently sat down with former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker, who asked the rising lightweight to name one opponent he would like to face next, referencing his previous comments about wanting a top-five opponent.

The 26-year-old named Pimblett as his desired choice. He explained that a fight against the popular British star would be a major opportunity and that he wants to fight him in November in New York. 

“I just think a Paddy fight would be just so sick. Super high profile. That would be epic. That would be ideal. Paddy in New York in November that would be me,” Salkilld said. 

Whittaker liked the matchup and pointed out that Salkilld’s quick victory over Gamrot left him in an ideal position to return without significant damage.

“That's exactly what we wanted to hear,” Whittaker responded. “Because obviously getting it done in the first round, you come back with no damage, feeling good, everything going. Hopefully we can get that Paddy fight. I want to see it. I'm sure everybody else does too.”

Salkilld agreed with the former champion and believes the matchup is one that fans would be interested in seeing.

“Yeah, I think everyone wants to see that,” Salkilled agreed.

Check out the conversation between Robert Whittaker and Quillan Salkilld below: 

Quillan Salkilld could get his wish with Paddy Pimblett matchup

Pimblett suffered his first UFC defeat when he took on Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 for the interim lightweight title. He put on a decent performance but fell short of capturing the belt.

In his comeback fight, the British star shocked everyone by submitting Benoit Saint Denis in less than a minute at UFC 329 in July.

Pimblett fought in July, while Salkilld competed in August, so the timeline for their returns matches perfectly. Salkilld is just below ‘The Baddy’ in the rankings, so the UFC could potentially book the matchup as a title eliminator.