UFC Perth's Awesome Main Card Saturday at Sunrise

UFC Perth fight week continues. With a new month on the horizon comes more fight cards, and the UFC's 2026 spring schedule of events continues this weekend. Perth's RAC Arena serves as the setting for the first UFC show of the year's fifth month. 

Live coverage of UFC Perth begins at the early morning start time of 4 am ET/ 1 am PT with the prelims on Saturday. Inside the United States of America, the show can be seen gavel-to-gavel via Paramount Plus. Main card action caps the day at 7 am ET/ 4 am PT. 

For the early risers, 13 fights await on Saturday morning. 12 fighters from Australia will be making the walk during the event this weekend, giving fans in the arena a reason to show up and support their favorite fighters.

UFC Perth Main Event: No. 1 Contender Jack Della Maddalena vs. No. 5 Contender Carlos Prates: Taking A Look at Top Contender

At the top of the bill in UFC Perth on Saturday night, the welterweights take center stage. No. 1 contender Jack Della Maddalena (18-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) squares off against No. 5 contender Carlos Prates (23-7 MMA, 6-1 UFC.) This main event is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round to close out the night's activities.

Maddalena, the former UFC Welterweight Champion, enters UFC Perth this Saturday having posted a record of 4-1 in his last five trips to the Octagon. Back on Nov. 15 of last year, he failed in his bid to defend the strap at 170, falling to current king Islam Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) inside New York City's Madison Square Garden during the main event of UFC 322.

He's right on the doorstep of another shot at the welterweight crown. A victory here would put him right back in the driver's seat, but his opponent across the way is no slouch when the cage door slams shut on a fight night.

Examining UFC Perth's Carlos Prates

Carlos Prates comes into the weekend on the strength of a 4-1 mark in his own right over his past five appearances. At the moment, he's won two fights in a row, including a second-round knockout by way of a straight left over Leon Edwards in mid-November, needing less than 90 seconds to finish the fight.

Prates has had an interesting first few months of 2026. Earlier this year, his name came up as a possible opponent for Conor McGregor in UFC Freedom 250 from The White House lawn in Washington, DC.

McGregor's name wound up being left off of the bout order of the June 14 card. Regardless of what happens in the main event, Saturday's contest will be moving day at 170 lbs. Should Prates get his hand raised in victory, he'll be a win away from securing a championship fight.

UFC Perth Co-Main Event: No. 12 Contender Beneil Dairiush vs. Quillan Sallkild: Zeroing in on Dariush

Immediately beforehand, the lightweights do battle in a contest matching No. 12 contender Beneil Dariush(23-7-1 MMA, 17-7-1 UFC) with Quillan Sallkild (11-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC.) This is a three-round fight at five minutes per round. Dariush has gone 2-3 in his last five fights.

He'll be looking to rebound in the co-main event over the weekend after his last appearance ended in just 16 seconds' time with a left hook by Benoit Saint-Denis (17-3, 1 NC MMA, 9-3 UFC) during UFC 322 in New York City.

Dariush was already supposed to have fought in the Octagon this spring. An April 11 contest versus Manuel Torres (17-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) was postponed in the wake of the latter sustaining an injury in March. He's had a brief delay, so will the extra time be helpful to him as he looks to get back into the win column.

Stakes High for Quillan Sallkild in UFC Perth Co-Main Event

Meanwhile, Quillan Sallkild has been on a tear ahead of UFC Perth, going 5-0 in his last five contests. Upon losing his first professional bout, he's won 11 consecutive fights. 

He'll be fighting in Australia for the second time in 2026 after having finished a rear-naked choke submission against Jaime Mullarkey (18-9 MMA, 6-7 UFC) on Feb. 1 (Australia time) in UFC 325 in Sydney.

This is the biggest appearance to-date in Sallkild's UFC tenure. A highlight-reel victory in the UFC Perth co-main event could yield a number next to his name as soon as the beginning of the new work week.

UFC Perth:  No. 11 Contender Tim Elliott vs. No. 12 Contender Steve Erceg: An American in Hostile Territory

Also on the UFC Perth main card, the flyweights collide when No. 11 contender Tim Elliott (21-13-1 MMA, 10-11 UFC) meets No. 12 contender Steve Erceg (13-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC.) Elliott touches down in Australia with a mark of 4-1 in his previous five encounters.

Last summer, he scored a second-round submission (guillotine choke) over Kai Asakura (21-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC.) That contest was on American soil, having taken place at the Meta Apex in Enterprise, NV. Elliott is playing the role of the heel in this fight. 

Only time will tell if Elliott can make the crowd go home with long faces on Saturday.

Steve Erceg Looks to Defend Home Country in UFC Perth

In the other corner, Steve Erceg is sporting a record of 2-3 in his past five appearances in the sport. On Aug. 9, he outlasted Ode Osbourne (13-9, 2 NC MMA, 5-7, 1 NC UFC) by unanimous decision after 15 minutes of action from the Apex in the co-main event of the evening.

As has been mentioned throughout fight week, 12 contestants on the card Saturday evening hail from Australia, Steve Erceg included. Will the native Australian score the victory in an important home game? Tune in and find out.

Rest of the Card

UFC Perth's main card is rounded out by the following fights:

• A featherweight encounter between Marwan Rahiki (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Ollie Schmid (4-2 MMA, UFC promotional debut,)
• a heavyweight contest matching No. 14 Shamil Gaziev (14-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) with Brando Pericic (6-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC,)
• and a heavyweight fight versing Tai Tuivasa (14-9 MMA, 8-9 UFC) against Louie Sutherland (10-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC.)