Is 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.”
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.”
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
