It's a special moment and I can't wait to go out there and experience being the main event in Vegas on a UFC card. It's a dream come true."

Gamrot enters the contest as the established name, with victories over Rafael dos Anjos, Rafael Fiziev, and Arman Tsarukyan already on his résumé. Salkilld, however, says his own belief has never depended on rankings."

I've already seen myself at the top of the division. Beating Gamrot just proves it to everyone else that I belong there.

For me, I already know I belong at the top end of the lightweight division." Quillan Salkilld's UFC title ambitionsA victory would definitely move him upper in UFC's top 10, and the Aussie has his next milestones in a progression already mapped out."

You break into the top 15, then you set your sights on the top 10, then the top five, and after that you have your eyes on the belt. Anyone in the top five is pretty much in title contention, so those are the stages I'm looking to move through."

His last outing against Beneil Dariush also offered the first real glimpse of adversity in his UFC run. Dropped early before recovering to score a first-round stoppage, Salkilld says nothing fundamentally changed."

I think I've always had that composure. Sometimes I get caught in the very early exchanges of a fight.

It never really feels like I'm dazed and confused. I just end up on my butt, then I'm fine."

I'm good at staying in the moment. Even when I'm hurt or tired, I just kind of don't care about it.

I ignore it and get back to what's in front of me. I think that composure comes not only from repetition and having had many fights, but it's also something that's naturally within me."

The Australian has already fought twice in 2026, but he doesn't believe activity alone is the secret behind his rise." I've been active because I've been able to.

I've been fortunate enough to come out of my previous fights pretty much unscathed, so I've been able to get straight back into the gym." I don't necessarily think being this active is more important than fighting less often.

It's just a personal preference. I want to get in there because this excites me.

As the saying goes, make hay while the sun is shining. I'm just looking to dive in headfirst, keep the momentum going and I'm not looking to stop anytime soon."

As for what comes next, Salkilld isn't fixated on one name." There are obviously a lot of tough guys.

There's Paddy [Pimblett], BSD [Benoît Saint Denis], Arman [Tsarukyan], Charles [Oliveira], [Max] Holloway, Ilia [Topuria], [Justin] Gaethje. As long as it's someone who moves me up the rankings, I'm all for it."

For now, though, the focus remains entirely on Gamrot. Away from training, Salkilld's relaxed personality has surfaced throughout fight week, with videos of him singing making the rounds on social media.

He believes that attitude carries directly into the Octagon." I find that being relaxed, enjoying things and having fun is a great way to approach fight week.

The calmer and more confident you can be in the cage, the looser you can be, the more you can showcase your skills." I don't want to go in there all wound up and stiff.

I want to be loose so I can move freely and let everything go. That's when I can really show my skills."

It's also just part of my personality. I think a lot of it comes from being Aussie.

It's natural for us to joke around and have fun. Obviously, I understand the pressures and the dangers of this game, but at the same time, I'm enjoying it, having fun and trying to stay loose."

On Saturday night in Las Vegas, that easy-going approach will be tested against one of the lightweight division's toughest wrestlers. Salkilld sought this challenge himself.

Flavio Bolsonaro flew to US after electoral defeatBrazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has fleed the country for the United States after losing the presidential e...