Quillan Salkilld has long dreamed of testing himself against elite fighters, and after his stunning first-round knockout of Beneil Dariush at UFC Perth, he's ready for his next challenge: Mateusz Gamrot.

In the co-main event last weekend, Salkilld delivered a statement performance by finishing Dariush early, then immediately called out the Polish contender. The reasoning? Salkilld is a genuine fan of Gamrot's relentless, scrappy wrestling style—and he's been studying the matchup for months.

"I love watching Gamrot," Salkilld told MMA Junkie. "I like the wrestling style; he has an exciting wrestling style where he just hits scrambles. And I was watching him vs. Beneil many times leading up to the Beneil fight."

The timing couldn't be better. Gamrot sits at No. 7 in the UFC lightweight rankings, and Salkilld sees this as the perfect opportunity to climb the ladder. While the Australian is known for his devastating knockout power, he's eager to prove he can hang on the mat too.

"He is the kind of fight I've always pictured myself having," Salkilld explained. "He just had a good win, he's ranked No. 7, so he is inside the Top 10. So just with the timing of everything, I thought that's a good next step for me… I want to have a tussle as well with Gamrot, I'd love to have some scrambles on the mat."

Both fighters are riding momentum. Gamrot (26-4) rebounded from a submission loss to Charles Oliveira with a submission win over rising prospect Estevan Ribovics. Meanwhile, Salkilld (12-1) has finished four of his five UFC victories, earning a Performance bonus each time—a testament to his explosive, fan-friendly style.

For Salkilld, this isn't just about rankings or titles. It's about testing himself against the kind of fighter he's always wanted to face—and proving he's more than just a one-punch threat.