Matches to make after UFC Perth

Quillan Salkilld vs. Mateusz Gamrot

Quillan Salkilld went from prospect to contender by finishing Beneil Dariush with an onslaught of punches. Salkilld (12-1) is now 5-0 inside the Octagon and is only 26 years old, which gives him plenty of time to keep improving. However, Salkilld isn’t looking to waste time and made my job easy by calling out Mateusz Gamrot for a fight. While a fight against “Gamer” won’t be easy, it’s one I’d love to see. The 35-year-old Gamrot (26-4) recently submitted Esteban Ribovics to get back into the win column after losing to Charles Oliveira. He's a respected contender, so it'd be a huge deal if Salkilld can get past him, which certainly isn't a given.

Steve Erceg vs. Lone'er Kavanagh

Steve Erceg stayed disciplined on the feet against Tim Elliott and took home a unanimous decision victory as a result. “Astro Boy” has now won two fights in a row after a three-fight skid that saw him fall short against some of the division’s best. Clearly a contender, it’d be fun to see Erceg (14-4) take on England’s Lone'er Kavanagh next. Kavanagh (10-1) is just 26 but is coming off a gigantic upset over Brandon Moreno. The Great Britain Top Team member was previously finished by Charles Johnson, so it’s hard to read where exactly his ceiling is. A fight against the 30-year-old Erceg would show exactly where both men stand in the division currently and we can expect to see both become mainstays for years to come.

Marwan Rahiki vs. Darren Elkins

Marwan Rahiki made quick work of Oliver Schmid after landing some powerful punches. The undefeated Rahiki is now 9-0 as a pro and 2-0 inside the UFC with the victory. “Freaky” should face a much more experienced opponent in his next outing and Darren Elkins fits the bill nicely. “The Damage” holds a 29-12 record and despite being 41 is 2-1 in his last three fights with wins over T.J. Brown and Daniel Pineda showing that he’s still dangerous. If Rahiki can get past the featherweight mainstay then we’ll know that he’s a true prospect in the division.

Brando Pericic vs. Rizvan Kuniev

Australia’s Brando Pericic continued his ascent by flooring Shamil Gaziev with a brutal punch. Now 3-0 inside the Octagon, it’s time for a step up in competition for Pericic (7-1). I’d like to see “The Balkan Bear” take on Rizvan Kuniev next. Kuniev (14-3-1) only has two fights inside the promotion but has gone up against much tougher competition, losing to Curtis Blaydes and then taking a decision over Jailton Almeida. Let’s see if the 31-year-old Pericic is someone to watch at heavyweight or if the Russian is simply too much for him.