Quillan Salkilld has only registered three Octagon fights since scoring a UFC contract on Dana White’s “Contender Series” back in late 2024, but he’s already scored two “Performance of the Night” bonuses thanks to a pair of brutal first-round knockouts. That includes his UFC 321 snuff film starring Nasrat Haqparast, a clip that went viral last weekend during the “Aspinall vs. Gane” preliminary card
.The once-beaten Aussie is now hoping to parlay that success into a Top 15 callout, even if critics
believe it’s a “stupid” idea to challenge lightweight mainstay Renato “Moicano” Carneiro after just one year of experience under the UFC banner.
“It’s gonna be early February like the rumors say, I hope I can definitely get on that one,” Salkilld, 25, told Ariel Helwani. “Hopefully, I can get on the main card. That would be a wicked step up, main card spot. Someone like a ‘Moicano’ would be cool. I think that’s a tough challenge to face. I’m ready for that.”
UFC is expected to make its return to Australia in early 2026.
“But at the same time, I understand I’ve only had three fights,” Salkilld (10-1) continued. “So I don’t know if that ends up being a stupid callout because of my inexperience. But I’m ready for that challenge. I hope they give me someone along the lines of that. Anyone that’s ranked, a well known name.”
The 36 year-old Carneiro (20-7-1) may not be in a position to say no after losing back-to-back fights against Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush, which cost “Moicano” real estate in the lightweight Top 10. That’s up to UFC matchmakers, who are already hard at work on several upcoming fight cards.
