Dariush Takes Time Off After Quillan Salkilld Knockout in Perth

Beneil Dariush said he will take time off after Quillan Salkilld stopped him by first-round knockout at UFC Fight Night 275 in Perth on Saturday. The UFC lightweight veteran said he has no injuries, but the loss pushed his recent run deeper into a stretch of four knockout or TKO defeats in his past five fights.

Perth Ends Fast

Salkilld dropped Dariush early and finished him in the opening frame. The result sent the 37-year-old toward a pause he said he needs before deciding what comes next.

After the fight, Dariush posted that he was fine physically and thanked people for checking on him. He wrote, “I’m good friends. I have no injuries and I appreciate everyone checking on me,” then added, “I’ll be taking some time off and heading over to Sydney tomorrow for the week. God bless”.

Dariush's Recent Slide

The defeat left Dariush at 23-8-1 overall and 17-8-1 in the UFC. It also extended a difficult run that has cut through his standing as a former top contender at lightweight.

His only win in his last five outings came in June 2025, when he beat Renato Moicano by unanimous decision at UFC 317. The other results have been brutal finishes, and this one arrived before he could settle into the bout.

That decline looks sharper next to his earlier run. Dariush once put together eight straight wins that included victories over Mateusz Gamrot and Tony Ferguson, a stretch that put him near the top of the division before the losses stacked up.

Quillan Salkilld Moves to 21-1

Salkilld improved to 21-1 in MMA and stayed perfect at 5-0 in the UFC. He did it in front of an enthusiastic Australian crowd at RAC Arena, while Dariush left Perth with a quick ending and a self-imposed break.

For Dariush, the next move starts with time away, then Sydney for the week, then a decision on whether he returns in 2025 as a veteran still searching for stability after another first-round defeat.