The UFC heads back to Perth in Western Australia this Saturday night with their local hero and former UFC Welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena taking on Carlos Prates in the main event.
The card is stacked with Aussie fighters and we have offered our thoughts and betting plays below.
An 18 fight winning streak for Aussie Jack Della came to an end when he was beaten by Islam Makhachev by decision in November 2025.
The West Australian local climbed through the UFC rankings quickly, culminating in UFC gold by beating Belal Muhammad to become champion.
His reign didn’t last long but he has lost few fans by being beaten by one of the best in the sport.
Carlos Prates may be best known for smoking ciggies in between fights but he has quite an impressive MMA resume.
He won a UFC contract in 2023 through Dana White’s Contender Series and his only loss in the UFC has been against Ian Garry by decision.
Following that loss he has two knock out wins against Geoff Neal and Leon Edwards to earn this number one contender fight in Australia.
But he runs into an extremely well rounded and aggressive fighter in the shape of Jack Della who is always willing to be aggressive in his approach.
He is a top level boxer who is both capable of landing a finishing blow as well as be patient and pick a part his opponent when necessary.
I’m confident the Aussie champ can get back to winning ways in front of his home fans.
Another Perth local features in the co main event and I’m not sure there is a more exciting fighter in Australian Mixed Martial Arts right now.
Quillan Salkilld won the Eternal MMA lightweight title in 2023 and defended that belt twice before securing a contract in the biggest promotion in the sport through DWCS.
He has four wins in the UFC now including three three first round finishes and he has earned this fight against a top ranked opponent in front of his home fans.
Beneil Dariush has been at the top end of the Lightweight rankings for the best part of a decade.
He boasts wins over Tony Ferguson, Renato Moicano and Jim Miller during that time but he does come into this fight having won just one fight in his last four.
The quality of opponent he has faced in those losses cannot be questioned but the concerning thing is that Charles Oliveira, Benoit Saint-Denis and Armen Tsarukyan all knocked him out in the first round.
At 36 years of age his best may be behind him but this is a big step down in opponent on paper.
Quillan Salkilld has come up way too short but I’m not willing to tip Dariush to be honest.
I do think we will see a second round.
Another Perth local and former Eternal MMA champion will grace us with his presence on the main card.
Steve Erceg entered the UFC in 2023 and put together three wins in a row to earn him a title shot.
He was far from disgraced when losing a decision to Alexandre Pantoja in that title fight but he then lost his next two to plummet down the rankings.
A win over Ode Osborne in August 2025 has given him some momentum as will the crowd on Sunday!
Tim Elliot entered the UFC almost 10 years ago and fought for UFC gold in his very first fight.
He lost a decision to the GOAT of the division in Demetrious Johnson but has had a successful UFC career since within another title fight.
8 of his 21 pro career wins have been by submission including his last two and he possesses a real threat should this fight go to the canvas.