​Daniel Cormier thinks Quillan Salkilld is now part of the lightweight elite after his submission win over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Fight Night 284.Cormier was on color commentary as Salkilld (13-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) delivered a breakout performance Saturday at Meta APEX in Las Vegas when he handed Gamrot (26-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) just his second career stoppage loss in their main event clash.Although Salkilld was the betting favorite at closing, the way it actually unfolded shattered all expectations.”I would have probably given you multiple scenarios on how that fight played out. Salkilld submitting Gamrot was not one of them in the least,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Quillan Salkilld has now done to Beneil Dariush and Mateusz Gamrot, what Charles Oliveira has done, but faster – and better, honestly.”It’s always fun when you get a young prospect who truly does announce himself to the elite, and you get the feel it’s believable, and he can take this past what many thought he could. That was not only a victory, that was a statement.”Salkilld made his UFC debut in February 2025 after winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. He’s since rattled off six consecutive victories, including five stoppages and four straight first-round finishes – all of which have earned him a fight night bonus.At just 24, Salkilld appears to have genuine star potential and a championship ceiling. There’s only one way to find out if that’s true, though, and Cormier doesn’t want to see any back steps in terms of the next matchup.”I would not be upset if this young man got a Charles Oliveira,” Cormier said. “I would not be upset if this man got a Paddy Pimblett. I would not be upset if this young man got a Benoit Saint Denis – somewhere in that range of fighter that allows him to continue his ascent up the rankings if he gets a victory. It’s hard now to see a matchup style that he can’t handle.”This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Daniel Cormier pitches Quillan Salkilld vs. big names after UFC Vegas 120