MMA
Daniel Cormier suggests Quillan Salkilld is ready for top 5 opponent following stellar UFC Vegas 120 win
Published
9 hours agoon
Zuffa LLCIs Quillan Salkilld ready to face the best lightweights in the world? Daniel Cormier would like to have that question answered sooner than later.
Salkilld has been turning some heads within the MMA community, and he only made the conversation louder this past Saturday. The undefeated 26-year-old was facing what was thought to be his toughest test to date in Mateusz Gamrot. Salkilld landed on Gamrot early on before the action hit the mat. The surging Australian was able to secure a submission win via rear-naked choke in the first round.
Not many had Salkilld securing a submission on their bingo card, but that's what the emerging star did. In the aftermath of UFC Vegas 120, Cormier hopped on his YouTube channel and said Salkilld has looked even more impressive against Gamrot and Beneil Dariush than Charles Oliveira did (via MMAJunkie).
“I would have probably given you multiple scenarios on how that fight played out. Salkilld submitting Gamrot was not one of them in the least,†Cormier said. “Quillan Salkilld has now done to Beneil Dariush and Mateusz Gamrot, what Charles Oliveira has done, but faster – and better, honestly.
“It's always fun when you get a young prospect who truly does announce himself to the elite, and you get the feel it's believable, and he can take this past what many thought he could. That was not only a victory, that was a statement.â€
With Salkilld seemingly on a superstar rise, many have wondered if he'll be due for a marquee fight against a top five-ranked lightweight next. If that is the case, you won't be hearing any complaints from Cormier.
“I would not be upset if this young man got a Charles Oliveira,†Cormier said. “I would not be upset if this man got a Paddy Pimblett. I would not be upset if this young man got a Benoit Saint Denis – somewhere in that range of fighter that allows him to continue his ascent up the rankings if he gets a victory. It's hard now to see a matchup style that he can't handle.â€
While Salkilld has time on his side, he'll hope to avoid being sidelined following UFC Vegas 120. He revealed to reporters that at some point during the fight against Gamrot, he heard a pop in his knee. Salkilld admitted he was sore after the fight, and so far there's been no update on his knee.
Is Quillan Salkilld ready for a top five-ranked UFC lightweight? Who would you match him up against next? Tell us in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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MMA
Why Tom Aspinall backs Islam Makhachev to beat Ian Garry at UFC 330
Published
1 hour agoon
August 10, 2026
Aspinall believes the upcoming
Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title fight between
Islam
Makhachev and Ian Garry
will go the distance.
Makhachev (28-1) will put his 170-pound title on the line against
Garry (17-1) in the main event of UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. While
Makhachev is a sizable favorite entering the fight, Garry could
present a tricky matchup for the Russian, given the Irishman's
distance management and reach advantage.
Tom Aspinall predicts Islam Makhachev will defeat Ian Garry by
decision
Aspinall predicts a decision victory for Makhachev. The UFC
heavyweight champion believes the Dagestani is more likely to
dictate the fight than Garry is to land the perfect shot. While
Aspinall admits that he is not fully confident in his prediction,
he doesn't see anyone dethroning Makhachev at welterweight.
“Islam Makhachev, decision,†Aspinall predicted in a recent YouTube
video. “I just think he's got more chance of him controlling the
fight than Ian landing something. That being said, it is completely
possible that Ian can win. I'm not 100% confident in my prediction
either, but I can't think that anybody in the welterweight division
is going to beat Islam at the moment.â€
Garry has nine UFC wins, and his lone career defeat came against
fellow contender Shavkat
Rakhmonov, who is currently sidelined by injury. Meanwhile,
Makhachev has won 16 consecutive UFC bouts since his only
professional loss, which came a decade ago. He defended the UFC
lightweight title four times, the most in the division's history,
before moving up and winning the welterweight title last year.
MMA
Top undefeated prospects collide in Noche UFC 4 featherweight bout
Published
4 hours agoon
August 10, 2026
MMA
Luke Rockhold to face Joe Pyfer in wrestling match at RAF 13
Published
7 hours agoon
August 10, 2026
Rockhold and Joe Pyfer are
set to collide on the mat.
Real American Freestyle recently announced that former
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder
Rockhold will meet current UFC 185-pounder Pyfer in a catchweight
wrestling match at RAF 13 on Sept. 19 at Watsco Center in
Miami.
Former UFC champion Luke Rockhold meets middleweight contender
Joe Pyfer in a catchweight wrestling match Sept. 19 in Miami
While neither fighter is primarily known for wrestling, both bring
considerable grappling and combat sports experience into the
matchup.
Pyfer, 29, has since established himself as one of the UFC’s most
promising middleweight contenders. A
Dana White's Contender Series signee, Pyfer has won four
straight fights and owns a 7-1 record since joining the UFC in
2022. Most recently, he finished former UFC champ Israel
Adesanya earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Rockhold is looking to register his first victory under
the RAF banner. The 41-year-old made his promotional debut in
January, losing to Colby
Covington. He has remained active across several combat sports
since leaving the UFC in 2022, competing in bare-knuckle boxing,
karate, jiu jitsu and boxing.
Former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke
Rockhold takes on MMA standout Joe Pyfer SEP
19 in Miami at #RAF13Tickets in bio. Watch on @foxnation
pic.twitter.com/VCtb2tH32z— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA)
August 9, 2026
Why Tom Aspinall backs Islam Makhachev to beat Ian Garry at UFC 330
Top undefeated prospects collide in Noche UFC 4 featherweight bout
Luke Rockhold to face Joe Pyfer in wrestling match at RAF 13
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