Quillan Salkilld revealed that fans were seriously upset with him for winning his fight against Jamie Mullarkey via submission when they expected a knockout. Salkilld explained that people don't realize how difficult it is to finish fights at the UFC level. He had to apologize to fans because they only saw his knockouts and didn't know he could also finish fights with submissions. When asked if fans should bet on a knockout in his next fight against Beneil Dariush, Salkilld was uncertain. He expressed confusion over the fans' anger, laughing about their reaction to his submission victory.
Quillan Salkilld has revealed that fans were genuinely upset with him for submitting fellow Australian Jamie Mullarkey, with many having expected him to finish the fight by knockout instead.
The 26-year-old from Australia, who fights out of Luistro Combat Academy, holds a 12-1-0 record and is ranked 15th in the UFC lightweight division. Salkilld is an unusually well-rounded finisher on paper, landing 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy while also averaging a remarkable 7.95 takedowns per 15 minutes. He noted that fans, familiar with his knockout highlights, were caught off guard by his submission ability and that he found himself apologizing for winning in a way they had not anticipated. He laughed at the reaction but also expressed genuine puzzlement, pointing out that finishing fights at the UFC level is difficult regardless of the method.
Mullarkey, also Australian and based with Bangtao Muay Thai and MMA, carries an 18-9-0 record and is a 31-year-old lightweight known for forward pressure and output, averaging 4.1 significant strikes per minute, though his submission attempts are minimal at just 0.1 per 15 minutes — which may help explain why Salkilld's grappling finish caught observers off guard.
When asked whether fans should expect a knockout in his upcoming bout against Beneil Dariush, Salkilld offered no guarantees.
Why it matters
- Salkilld's next opponent, Dariush, is ranked eighth at lightweight with a 23-8-1 record and brings a well-rounded game of his own, averaging 2.11 takedowns and 3.78 significant strikes per minute
- A win over the experienced 37-year-old American would be a significant ranking jump for the 15th-ranked Salkilld
- Dariush's southpaw stance and submission threat — 0.8 attempts per 15 minutes — could make grappling exchanges a genuine chess match against a man who just demonstrated he can finish on the floor
