Aussie sensation Quillan Salkilld isn’t ready to give up the mustache.
Returning to the Octagon at UFC 325 in his native Australia, Salkilld delivered yet another highlight-reel performance, scoring a nasty neck-crack submission victory over Jamie Mullarkey.
In the days leading up to the bout, Salkilld made a deal with Jaiden Cable, agreeing to shave his iconic mustache if he snagged one of the 100k performance bonuses that started at UFC 324.
Salkilld ended up getting an extra $100,000 for his first-round sub, but during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, the 11-1 prospect revealed that he’s having second thoughts about honoring the deal.
“I think I might be going back, because I’ve now just thought about the memes that are going to come in place where people see me without a moustache,” Salkilld said. “I don’t want to see that anymore. I’ve got the internet to worry about. I forgot to take that into account. So it might need to stay on. I might have to just say I lied about shaving it… I’m going to look hella weird without it. I actually feel very strongly about this.
“Your friends, your family, your management, they all need to convince you otherwise… It wouldn’t be gone for long. Weeks back. I was just curious to see what I look like without it, but I don’t think I’m going to do it. I don’t think I can. I don’t think I have the guts to actually put the trimmer to it.”
Quillan Salkilld Wants a Top 15 Opponent Next
Salkilld is a perfect 5-0 under the UFC banner, including a decision win over Gauge Young at Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024. Since then, he’s made it four in a row on MMA’s biggest stage, including first-round finishes against Anshul Jubli, Nasrat Haqparast, and Mullarkey.
As for what comes next, Salkilld doesn’t particularly care, so long as it’s a ranked opponent.
“I want to dive in headfirst into the deep end and see how it goes,” Salkilld said during his post-fight interview. “I want a top-15 opponent or someone right there on the tip of the rankings.”
