Highlights
Monthly Report | January 2026
The First Two Events Of The Year Produced A Number Of Standout Performances
And just like that, the first month of 2026 is already in the books, which means the first two numbered events of the UFC’s Paramount+ Era are behind us as well.
Putting together a piece like this in a short month can occasionally be challenging, as there are half the number of events to pull from than in most months and even when there is a full slate, you’re at the mercy of the results. For instance, there were no submission finishes at UFC 324, so heading into Sydney, it was up in the air whether we would encounter our first month where an award couldn’t be handed out.
Fortunately, we got a trio of submissions, crisis averted, and we’re ready to hand out some fictional hardware for the first time this year.
So without any further ado, let’s get into the standout efforts from inside the Octagon across the month of September.
Breakout Performance: Jonathan Micallef (UFC 325)
For the second consecutive year, Micallef had a strong showing in Sydney, collecting a second-round submission win over Oban Elliott in their delayed grudge match from September.
“The Captain” debut last February at UFC 312, turning in a surprising unanimous decision win over Kevin Jousset that earmarked him as a intriguing new addition to the welterweight ranks. He spent the next several months on the sidelines, waiting on a call for his sophomore appearance, and when it finally came with the Fight Night event in Perth as the time and place, Elliott ended up catching pneumonia and being forced out of the bout at the 11th hour, leaving the Australian frustrated and with just a single appearance in his rookie year.
RELATED: The Bigger Picture UFC 325
In a division as deep and active as welterweight, a year between fights is going to result in your receding into the background a little no matter who you are and especially when you’re a soft-spoken newcomer, but Micallef made sure to return in resounding fashion in Sydney.
Though he seemed like he was reaching and struggling to find a rhythm initially, Micallef clocked Elliott a couple minutes into the second, prompting the Welshman to press forward to close the distance in hopes of clearing the cobwebs. As soon as he did, Micallef worked to his back and laced up a deep rear-naked choke, hiding his hand perfectly behind the head, making it impossible for Elliott to defend, resulting in his eventually drifting off to sleep.
Jonathan Micallef Sinks In Round 2 Submission | UFC 325
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Jonathan Micallef Sinks In Round 2 Submission | UFC 325
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Micallef is someone to watch in the 170-pound weight class, boasting a slick ground game, developing hands, and good size for the division, plus he’s brimming with confidence and hungry to test himself. This was a statement effort on home soil and if he can get a quick turnaround with a slight step up in competition next time out, he could be sailing towards the Top 15 before the year is out.
Honorable Mentions: Ty Miller, Josh Hokit, Keiichiro Nakamura, Dom Mar Fan, Billy Elekana
Submission of the Month: Quillan Salkilld tosses and taps Jamie Mullarkey (UFC 325)
One of the cool offshoots of earning two of your first three UFC victories by highlight reel knockout is that people anchor on the idea that you’re a striker, and then when you go back to your grappling roots, it feels like a pleasant surprise or new development.
UFC 325 REWIND: Main Card Results | Prelim Results | Scorecards
That was the case with Salkilld in Sydney, as last year’s top rookie registered a first-round submission win over fellow Aussie Jamie Mullarkey, reminding everyone that prior to settling Anshul Jubli and Nasrat Haqparast in his first and third appearances, respectively, he leaned more heavily on his grappling prowess than he did his hands. The 26-year-old from Perth submitted Road to UFC lightweight winner Dom Mar Fan in each of their two bouts on the regional circuit, the second of which was his final fight before competing on Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series and quickly becoming the hottest prospect in the promotion.
very early going, though the veteran quickly worked back to his feet. But Salkilld continued to pursue the clinch, eventually hitting a beautiful twisting drop, bodying Mullarkey to the canvas. From there, he swiftly took the back, sunk in the hooks, and laced up the choke, drawing out the tap.
The Luistro Combat Academy product is well rounded, brimming with confidence and looking increasingly dangerous with each passing appearance. Now 4-0 in the UFC with three finishes, Salkilld is on the doorstep of the Top 15 and looking like he could be a factor in the weight class for quite some time going forward.
Honorable Mentions: Micallef vs Elliott, Elekana vs Junior Tafa
Knockout of the Month: Keiichiro Nakamura gets the finish he needed (UFC 325)
How often do we see someone enter the third round down 2-0 on the scorecards, needing a finish and just not find it? Most of the time it happens, right? Right, which is why Nakamura finding it against Sebastian Szalay in the Road to UFC featherweight finale was such a special moment.
Szalay was in complete control through two, moving well and landing combinations, connecting with the better shots throughout the first 10 minutes, when Nakamura looked like he just couldn’t get out of first gear. Even midway through the third, with Szalay clearly fatiguing, it felt like the Australian veteran was going to be able to make it to the final horn and get his hand raised. Nakamura was landing and clearly winning the round, but it didn’t seem like he was going to be able to find the shot that ended the fight or put in his opponent enough to earn a 10-8 round and force sudden victory; remember, this was a tournament bout.
Keiichiro Nakamura Secures Late TKO In Round 3 | UFC 325
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Keiichiro Nakamura Secures Late TKO In Round 3 | UFC 325
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But just before the fight reached its final minute, Szalay dipped just a little and Nakamura lifted his knee to his chin, blasting him with a shot that sent him toppling over and crashing to the canvas, where the Japanese prospect swarmed and pounded out the finish. As much as finishes that begin with a sharp knee are almost always awesome, what made this one even better than usual is that it channeled Nakamura’s opening round win over Eoh Jin Park, where he blasted the South Korean with a perfect stepping knee as he changed levels and began reaching for a takedown.
The smirking 27-year-old from Hokkaido has now won eight straight since dropping his pro debut, with all but his RTU semifinal win coming inside the distance. It’s hard to say where his ceiling rests without seeing him in there with more established talent, but Nakamura was entertaining to watch throughout his RTU run and is definitely worth keeping tabs on for the time being.
Honorable Mentions: Miller vs Adam Fugitt, Josh Hokit vs Denzel Freeman, Alex Perez vs Charles Johnson, Nikita Krylov vs Modestas Bukauskas, Mauricio Ruffy vs Rafael Fiziev
Fight of the Month: Justin Gaethje topples Paddy Pimblett (UFC 324)
If you’re new to this series, welcome, and the one thing you’re going to need to know when it comes to this particular piece of subjective, fictitious hardware is that the stakes of a fight have a significant impact when it comes to selecting the top fight of each month.
Championship fights just mean more and so while there are surely going to be some three-round bangers that appear here over the course of the year, a competitive and compelling main event pairing where there is gold on the line always has a bit of a leg up.
RELATED: Recapping UFC 324
Not that Gaethje and Pimblett needed the “belt on the line” bump this month.
This was one of those fights that was closer than the final scorecards suggest, which isn’t to say that the scores should be different, but just that the action was competitive in pretty much every round and it was a few key shots — and the overall edge in power and resilience — that gave Gaethje the edge the whole way through. Pimblett landed some shots that would have felled several other lightweights, but “The Highlight” largely shook them off and kept coming, responding with heavier blows that “The Baddy” didn’t wear quite as well.
Justin Gaethje Post-Fight Interview | UFC 324
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Justin Gaethje Post-Fight Interview | UFC 324
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Though he again showed that “Scousers don’t get knocked out,” Pimblett was lumped up and leaking a little, while Gaethje looked like he’d gone through a rigorous sparring session.
Beating Pimblett gave the American standout a second interim title and, far more importantly, another chance to challenge for the undisputed title, which remains his white whale. He talked throughout the buildup to this year’s kickoff event about wanting to finish the story he’s been writing this whole time, to give himself that Hollywood ended, and now he’s put himself in a position to possibly do so.
All he’s got to do is get through an unbeaten marauder in Ilia Topuria who has laid out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira in his last three fights without much pushback.
Honorable Mentions: Kaan Ofli vs Yizha, Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes