Keep your eyes on this Lightweight prospect…

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) goes “Down Under” this weekend (Sat., Jan. 31, 2026) for its second Paramount+ event, UFC 325, which goes down inside Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In the main event, two-time Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski rematches Diego Lopes in front of his home crowd.

Check out UFC 325’s full card here.

While the lineup is filled with intriguing up-and-comers, there is one prospect in particular you absolutely cannot afford to ignore.

Without further ado…

Quillan Salkilld could not have scripted a better rookie year in 2025.

Sure, the highlight-reel knockouts grabbed headlines — but it was his gritty three-round win over the durable Yanal Ashmouz that truly raised eyebrows. That performance proved Salkilld isn’t just a fast starter; he can go a hard 15 minutes if the fight demands it.

Still, let’s talk about those finishes.

Salkilld announced his arrival in emphatic fashion, starching Anshul Jubli in just 19 seconds in his UFC debut on home soil (watch highlights). He followed that up with one of the nastiest head-kick knockouts of the year against Nasrat Haqparast (watch highlights), who entered the bout riding a five-fight win streak and widely regarded as one of the division’s toughest unranked Lightweights.

Now, the 26-year-old returns home once again to kick off the UFC 325 main card against fellow Aussie Jamie Mullarkey — and the promotion clearly knows what it’s doing. Salkilld enters as the biggest betting favorite on the card at a staggering -1050, while Mullarkey has been knocked out in four of his last losses.

This bout has “showcase” written all over it.

Despite only turning pro in 2021, Salkilld already looks well-rounded, dangerous everywhere, and rapidly improving. He’s made it clear he wants at least three fights in 2026, and if he keeps winning, a Top 15 opponent feels inevitable — no small feat in the UFC’s murderers’ row of a Lightweight division.

I’ve personally covered Salkilld since his second professional fight. Back then, he was so nervous during our first interview that he refused to go on camera and opted for a phone call instead. Fast forward five years, and he’s not only delivering devastating finishes, but showing real confidence and personality under the spotlight.

Expect another highlight-reel moment to kick off UFC 325 — and remember the name.

To checkout the latest and greatest UFC 325: “Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.