It was one of the most stunning knockouts of the year — and now fight fans know it came at a painful cost.
Australia’s Quillan Salkilld made headlines over the weekend at UFC 321 by landing a jaw-dropping head kick on Nasrat Haqparast that will be a strong contender for knockout of the year.
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The terrifying strike left Haqparast unconscious on the canvas for several minutes – and Salkilld with a suspected broken foot.
“I’ve never hit anybody that hard before,” he told Fox Sports Australia.
“I broke my foot on his head, I’m pretty sure. I haven’t got it scanned yet, but it’s busted up.”
The spectacular finish also left the West Aussie with his second $50k performance bonus, after starching Anshul Jubli in just 19 seconds at UFC 312 earlier in the year.
The 25-year-old burned through his first bonus by spending it on a car and at the blackjack table, but Salkilld says he’s determined to save it this time.
“This time I’m not going to blow it as easily,” he revealed.
“I won’t make the same mistake twice.
“I’ll keep it there. I’m going to stockpile it.”
“Each time I fight I want to milk as much money from each performance.”
The rising lightweight prospect conceded that he’s a bit of a gambling man by nature, having accepted the fight with Haqparast on just ten days notice.
“I like to take opportunities as they come,” he explained.
“This fight itself was a gamble. A risk to take. It was short notice with a dangerous opponent on a big card.
“So taking this fight was a big risk, but I’m all for that and I find it very exciting.”
The viral knockout certainly captured the attention of other fighters, with Salkilld revealing that several big names have reached out to him with messages of support since the weekend.
“I got one [message] from Michael Chandler, Dan Hooker and Joanna Jędrzejczyk.
“They’re just reaching out to say congratulations and tell me what a wicked fight it was.”
Salkilld says that he discovered mixed martial arts not in a gym – but by playing a UFC video game at his mate’s house.
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And it was UFC icon Conor McGregor who really captured his attention.
“This was peak Conor time,’ he said.
“It was 2016. I liked his fighting style, his bravado, his style outside the cage.
“It was very influential and very motivational.
“I’d watch his videos on the way to footy training to pump me up to get me in the zone.
“I really aspired to be somebody like him with that star power.”
And the West Aussie backs himself to go all the way to the top.
“In the near future I see myself climbing the rankings,” he said.
“And in a couple of years down the line I see myself becoming the UFC lightweight champion.”
Australia has become one of the UFC’s most consistent sources of talent over the last few years, and Salkilld says he thinks he knows why.
“We’re just damn good at fighting,” Salkilld explains.
“I think it’s just natural for us. In the past, maybe we’ve had a bit of a skill gap with the grappling. But now we’ve caught up and developed a better style.
“The knowledge or skill gap has closed and now we get to shine.”
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