Quillan Salkilld remains upset that the only fighter to defeat him in his professional career, Pablo Torreelba, retired immediately after their fight. Salkilld debuted in MMA on February 13, 2021, losing to Torreelba via rear-naked choke in the second round. Torreelba never fought again after that victory, which was his only professional bout, and reportedly now works as a coach. Salkilld discussed his pattern of losing his first fight in every combat sports discipline, calling it a "curse" that prevents him from remaining undefeated. He stated he dealt with the loss by completely erasing it from his memory rather than reaching out to Torreelba.
Quillan Salkilld has opened up about the lingering frustration of his lone professional loss, one that came at the very start of his MMA career and was followed by the most unlikely of endings for the man who handed it to him.
Salkilld, now 12-1-0 and ranked 15th in the lightweight division, made his MMA debut on February 13, 2021, falling to Pablo Torreelba via rear-naked choke in the second round. What makes the defeat sting differently is what happened next: Torreelba never competed again. That victory was his only professional bout, and he has since reportedly moved into coaching, leaving Salkilld with no avenue for a rematch.
The 26-year-old Australian, who trains out of Luistro Combat Academy and stands six feet tall with a 75-inch reach, described the loss as part of a pattern he calls a "curse" — one where he drops his debut in every combat sports discipline he enters. Rather than processing the defeat by seeking out Torreelba, Salkilld said he dealt with it by erasing the memory of the fight entirely.
Why it matters
- Salkilld is ranked 15th at lightweight and carries a 12-1-0 record, making the context of that single loss especially relevant as he pushes further up the rankings
- His only defeat came in the opening fight of his career, against an opponent who retired immediately after, closing the door on any possibility of settling the score
- The story adds a human dimension to Salkilld's profile as a fighter: technically aggressive, averaging 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy and a standout 7.95 takedowns per 15 minutes, yet defined in part by a single night he would rather forget
