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UFC 312 Kicks Off With 19-Second One-Punch Knockout


The opening fight of UFC 312 in Sydney produced a debut to remember for Australia’s Quillan Salkilld.

The early preliminary card kicked off with a lightweight bout between Salkilld and India’s Anshul Jubli in a battle between two fighters with identical 7-1 records.

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Quillan Salkilld
Quillan Salkilld of Australia celebrates his victory over Anshul Jubli of India in their lightweight bout during UFC 312 at Qudos Bank Arena on February 09, 2025 in Sydney, Australia.

Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

But when the action got underway it didn’t take long for fans to see who had the upper hand in the matchup.

After a couple of range-finding kicks and a solitary jab, Salkilld stepped into range and landed a hammer of a straight right that sent Jubli crashing to the canvas.

The crushing shot, and the way Jubli crumpled to the mat, prompted the referee to immediately dive in and stop the fight after just 19 seconds.

Despite the referee’s intervention, a still-dazed Jubli attempted to grab one of Salkilld’s legs as he attempted to drag the Australian to the mat. But, after the referee broke up the hold and Jubli regained full consciousness, his confusion turned to frustration, as he insisted that he was fine and that the fight should have been allowed to continue.

But given the way Jubli fell to the mat, the stoppage certainly appeared justified, as Salkilld celebrated by lighting up an imaginary cigar in victory.

It secured a dream debut win for Salkilld, who also claimed the second-fastest lightweight knockout for a UFC debutant. His 19-second finish sits behind Terrance McKinney’s record of just seven seconds from his UFC debut against Matt Frevola at UFC 263.

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And, after his resounding victory, the 25-year-old Perth native and Dana White’s Contender Series graduate admitted he was almost lost for words after his spectacular victory.

“I’ve no words for it. The perfect ending to my debut in Sydney,” Salkilld told UFC color commentator and former two-division champion Daniel Cormier.

“I knew he’d lead with his lead hand, and his lead hand is always away from his face, so going past that with the right hand was always going to land.

“(It was a) dream come true. The only thing that could make it better is an extra $50,000 in the bank for a one-punch knockout!”

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For more on the UFC, head to Newsweek Sports.



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