Quillan Salkilld calls out Benoit Saint Denis for November NYC card

Australian lightweight Quillan Salkilld has publicly called out Benoit Saint Denis, expressing his desire to meet the French contender at the UFC's November event in New York City.

Salkilld, 26, carries a 13-1 record and is set to enter the lightweight rankings at number eight. The six-foot, 183-centimeter orthodox striker out of Luistro Combat Academy brings elite grappling volume to the table, averaging 7.25 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking output of 5.01 significant strikes per minute at 57 percent accuracy. Despite currently sitting at number 12 in the division, the bump to eighth would place him squarely in the thick of a crowded contender picture.

Saint Denis, nicknamed "God of War," is a 30-year-old southpaw who holds a 17-4 record and currently ranks sixth at lightweight. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, he is one of the more well-rounded fighters in the division, landing 5.58 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy while also averaging 4.15 takedowns and 1.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes. That blend of striking and submission threat makes him a formidable and technically diverse opponent.

In making the callout, Salkilld positioned Saint Denis as the more dependable target compared to whoever emerges from the Tsarukyan versus Ruffey bout, suggesting scheduling uncertainty around that matchup factored into his thinking.

Why it matters

• A win over a top-six fighter would rocket Salkilld into title-contender conversations almost immediately.
• Saint Denis at number six versus a newly ranked number-eight Salkilld would represent a meaningful divisional eliminator.
• The stylistic contrast is sharp: Salkilld's takedown-heavy game meets Saint Denis's submission-oriented grappling and high-volume striking.
• A November New York date gives both camps a realistic short-term timeline to build toward.