The Scorecard | UFC Perth

he deck may have been stacked against him, but Brazilian welterweight contender Carlos Prates made a mockery of those supposed disadvantages as he dismantled Jack Della Maddalena in the main event.

Prates was fighting Della Maddalena in the No. 1 contender’s hometown, but fought with the freedom and confidence of a man who was very much at home as he systematically broke down “JDM” en route to a third-round TKO finish.

Hear What Prates Had To Say After His Win

His victory over Della Maddalena means “The Nightmare” now has back-to-back stoppage victories over former welterweight champions. And, unsurprisingly, Prates wants a chance to become a champion himself.

There are plenty of moving parts in the UFC’s crowded welterweight title picture, with the likes of Michael Morales and Ian Machado Garry already in position to potentially challenge Islam Makhachev for the 170-pound strap. But Prates’ victory likely puts him in that elite group, too.

Quillan Salkilld

Perth’s Quillan Salkilld was handed a golden opportunity to showcase his skills, and the rising lightweight contender produced a performance to match the occasion as he dismantled Beneil Dariush inside the first round to gatecrash the lightweight rankings.

Salkilld has impressed with his Octagon performances as he has earned victories over Anshul Jubli, Yanal Ashmouz, Nasrat Haqparast and Jamie Mullarkey. But his fight with Dariush saw him step up in competition, and he delivered the goods.

What Salkilld's Exclusive Interview With UFC.com

Salkilld’s TKO finish earned him his fifth straight win in the UFC and his fourth Performance of the Night bonus. The Aussie is must-see TV whenever he steps into the Octagon, and he should expect to land within striking distance of the lightweight top 10 when the official rankings are updated on Monday.

He’s already called for a matchup with Mateusz Gamrot, who typically doesn’t receive many callouts, so don’t be surprised if the matchmakers grant his wish later this year.

Brando Peričić

UFC President and CEO Dana White loves to talk about the UFC delivering “Holy S***!” moments, and Brando Peričić’s fight with Shamil Gaziev delivered plenty of them.

Peričić wasted no time letting his hands go as he looked to get Gaziev out of there as quickly as possible. But the former IMMAF world champion proved to be remarkably durable, as he took Peričić’s best shots and kept walking forward.

UFC PERTH REWIND: Main Card Results | Prelim Results | Scorecards

It meant that Peričić had two options: manage his gas tank and look to find other ways to win, or just keep cracking his opponent until he eventually broke. Peričić opted for the latter and eventually got the finish he was chasing when he finally felled Gaziev in Round 2.

UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping said it was like watching someone trying to chop down a tree, and Pericic eventually got his reward as he scored the knockout, stole the show and banked a cool $100,000 for Fight of the Night.

It also means Peričić should be ranked later this week, and he’s already earmarked a date for his next appearance, calling for a fight at the upcoming UFC Fight Night event in Belgrade, Serbia.

Given his Croatian heritage, the chance to fight in the region certainly makes sense, but it wouldn’t at all be surprising to see Pericic showcased at UFC 329 during International Fight Week. A win there over Top 10 opposition could catapult him right into the heavyweight elite.

Marwan Rahiki

Morocco’s Marwan “Freaky” Rahiki delivered yet another impressive performance as he showed off his slick striking to stop Ollie Schmid in the first round.

Rahiki’s fast hands and knockout power have made him a standout prospect in the 145-pound division since earning his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. He broke former Cage Warriors champion Harry Hardwick’s jaw en route to a TKO victory last time out. In Perth, he demolished Schmid to build even more momentum heading into the summer.

COUNTDOWN: Go Behind-The-Scenes With The Stars Of UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland

Now 9-0 in his career, and 2-0 inside the Octagon, Rahiki is making all the right moves as he looks to stand out from the pack in a crowded featherweight division. The challenges will only get tougher from here, but the confident 23-year-old is ready to make an impact.

Steve Erceg

Saturday’s flyweight bout between former title challengers Tim Elliott and Steve Erceg was a battle between chaos and composure, and it was Erceg’s crisp, clean boxing that made the difference against Elliott’s high-energy, unorthodox approach.

Erceg looked as good as we’ve seen him inside the Octagon as he exhibited blistering hand speed and excellent accuracy with his shots while feeding Elliott a continuous diet of snapping, lightning-fast jabs that simply couldn’t miss.

See Who Left UFC Perth With Performance Bonuses

It took a round for Erceg to really take charge, with Elliott’s sheer force of will and energy giving him plenty to think about defensively during the opening five minutes. But once he got into his groove, Erceg looked outstanding as he pinged Elliott with shots throughout the fight to secure a unanimous decision victory.

Given the seasoned, tricky nature of his opponent, it was a fight that many felt would tell us whether Erceg was ready to make a run back toward the top of the division. Based on that performance, it appears “Astroboy” is ready for takeoff once again.