*Jack Della Maddalena lands a vicious knee on the chin of Gilbert Burns. Credit: MMA Mania.*

The UFC heads to the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, for a stacked Fight Night card. From top to bottom, the event is packed with excellent matchups, each featuring an Aussie ready to put on a show for the fans in their home country. In the co-main event, two Lightweights will collide over a spot in the top-15 when divisional stalwart Beneil Dariush takes on red-hot prospect Quillan Salkilld. In the main event, two top-5 Welterweights will square off when former champion Jack Della Maddalena meets a powerful knockout artist in Carlos Prates. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Tai Tuivasa vs. Louie Sutherland

*Tai Tuivasa lands a stinging left hook on Tallison Teixeira. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Heavyweight Bout

Tai Tuivasa: 15-9-0, 14 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Louie Sutherland: 10-5-0, 8 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Tuivasa is on a six-fight losing streak and holds UFC victories over #9-ranked Heavyweight Derrick Lewis (29-13-0), Andrei Arlovski (34-24-0), and Stefan Struve (33-13-0). He’s a true brawler who’s always looking to close the distance and throw bombs. He’s more technical than he often appears, staying patient and fighting behind his jab before unloading vicious right hands. Tuivasa has solid head movement and good distance management, but he usually won’t throw much at range before closing the distance. Training at Lions High Performance Centre, he has heavy leg kicks, one-shot knockout power, and he can finish the fight from anywhere. He’s dangerous in the clinch and can do massive damage without much space, particularly with his elbows and knees. Tuivasa is at his most dangerous early on and has only gone to two decisions in his professional career, with 12 of his fourteen KOs coming in round one.

*Louie Sutherland looks to secure a takedown on Brando Peričić. Credit: Alamy.*

Sutherland has won three of his last five fights and is looking to score his first UFC victory. He’s a versatile fighter with powerful, technical striking and solid wrestling. He’s patient on his feet yet highly explosive, staying composed and fighting behind his jab before blitzing forward to unload heavy shots. Sutherland excels at mixing up his targets, constantly firing leg kicks from range or adding knees to the body after punch combinations. Training with Team Titan, he has a strong takedown game and heavy top control, often posturing up immediately in top position to unload vicious ground-and-pound. He maintains consistent pressure across fifteen and has solid cardio for a Heavyweight, constantly moving and feinting throughout the fight while staying technical. Sutherland can produce finishes without much volume and has secured seven of his eight knockouts in the first round.

#14 Shamil Gaziev vs. Brando Peričić

*Shamil Gaziev tags Martin Buday with a stiff jab. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Heavyweight Bout

Shamil Gaziev: 14-2-0, 9 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Brando Peričić: 6-1-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Gaziev has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Don’Tale Mayes (11-9-0), Martin Buday (16-2-0), and Thomas Petersen (11-4-0). He’s a dangerous power-puncher capable of a flash knockout at any time. He fights behind his jab and has impressive hand speed for a Heavyweight, able to piece up his opponent with quick, heavy flurries. He throws everything with knockout intent but won’t load up and keeps his hands low, always remaining unpredictable. Training with the KHK MMA Team, Gaziev does most of his work with his hands, but he has heavy kicks and will occasionally add them at the end of combinations. He has excellent takedowns in open space and along the fence, and he can deliver impressive slams. He’s smart in top position, staying heavy and not getting wild while constantly looking to posture up and land ground-and-pound. Gaziev tends to slow as the fight progresses, but he is very dangerous early on and has earned 9 first-round finishes, five of which came in under a minute.

*Brando Peričić rains down punches onto a grounded Elisha Ellison. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Peričić has won four of his last five outings, holding UFC victories over Louie Sutherland (10-5-0) and Elisha Ellison (5-2-0). He’s a power-punching kickboxer who can produce a finish in a hurry. He throws every shot with devastating power and comes out guns blazing, pushing a heavy pace from the opening bell. Peričić has impressive output for a Heavyweight but won’t get wild, instead remaining technical and picking his shots until he has an opening to unload. Training at City Kickboxing, he’s a solid grappler with strong throws, powerful knees inside the clinch, and devastating ground-and-pound from top position. He’s early in his MMA career but holds an 18-2 kickboxing record and has won various ISKA titles. Peričić has secured all of his victories via first-round finish and is always coming forward, looking to put his opponent’s lights out.

Marwan Rahiki vs. Ollie Schmid

*Marwan Rahiki blasts Harry Hardwick with a powerful right hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Featherweight Bout

Marwan Rahiki: 8-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Ollie Schmid: 4-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Rahiki is undefeated and holds a UFC victory over Harry Hardwick (13-5-1). He’s a dangerous, wild striker who loves flashy attacks and is always pursuing a knockout. He has solid head movement, often relying on it while fighting with his hands down, keeping him unpredictable at all times. Rahiki regularly throws heavy, naked kicks from range and constantly attempts spinning attacks, typically pulling his opponent in before throwing a spinning kick or elbow. Training at Lion’s Den Academy, he won’t usually pursue takedowns, but he has a purple belt in BJJ and is highly aggressive in top position, immediately posturing up and raining down ground-and-pound. He throws every shot with maximum power and usually in combinations, greatly favoring hooks and overhands over straight shots. Rahiki has not been to a decision in his professional career and pushes a heavy pace from the opening bell.

*Ollie Schmid fires a head kick at Harry Webb. Credit: Eternal MMA.*

Schmid has won four of his last five fights and is making his UFC debut. He’s a powerful kickboxer with an arsenal of dangerous, flashy attacks. He’s a lengthy striker for the weight class and uses that reach well, typically staying on the outside and peppering his opponent with kicks before stepping into the pocket to unload heavy combinations. Schmid holds a black belt in Taekwondo and regularly attempts spinning kicks, jumping kicks, and jumping knees. Training at City Kickboxing, he has a blue belt in BJJ and won’t usually initiate grappling exchanges, but has strong takedown defense and solid control from top position. He has good cardio and can comfortably maintain his power and speed across fifteen minutes. Schmid has secured all but one of his professional wins by first-round knockout and can produce a highlight-reel finish at any time.

#11 Tim Elliott vs. #12 Steve Erceg

*Tim Elliot submits Sumudaerji with a tight arm triangle choke. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Flyweight Bout

Tim Elliott: 22-13-1, 3 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Steve Erceg: 13-4-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Elliott has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #14-ranked Flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov (17-3-0), Kai Asakura (21-6-0), and Sumudaerji (19-7-0). He is a veteran grappler with outstanding wrestling and unorthodox striking. He has a very awkward style on his feet, staying in perpetual motion and attacking from odd angles. Elliott lands, on average, nearly four takedowns per fifteen minutes and often shoots very early. He has excellent timing, typically securing his shots quickly and often in open space, where he can control and keep his opponent on the mat. He has outstanding scrambles and heavy top control, maintaining his position while constantly looking to posture up and do damage. Elliott holds various UFC Flyweight records, including the most takedowns landed (61), the most total strikes landed (1828), and the most unanimous decision victories (7).

*Steve Erceg cracks Alexandre Pantoja with a heavy left hook. Credit: Bleacher Report.*

Erceg has won two of his last five bouts, with UFC victories coming over Matt Schnell (17-10-0), Ode’ Osbourne (13-10-0), and Alessandro Costa (15-5-0). He’s an extremely well-rounded fighter with technical striking and a dangerous submission game. He’s constantly pressing forward, staying technical and never telegraphing his shots. Erceg has excellent counterstriking and hides his kicks well, regularly landing brutal leg kicks. Training at Wilkes Martial Arts, he’s averaging just under one takedown per fifteen minutes and can find submissions with incredible speed. With all six of his submission wins coming via choke, he can end the fight quickly if he gets to his opponent’s neck. Erceg has solid cardio and maintains a consistent pace throughout, never getting sloppy or putting himself in bad spots.

#12 Beneil Dariush vs. Quillan Salkilld

*Beneil Dariush fires a powerful overhand right at Mateusz Gamrot. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Lightweight Bout

Beneil Dariush: 23-7-1, 5 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Quillan Salkilld: 11-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Dariush has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #7-ranked Lightweight Mateusz Gamrot (26-4-0), #9-ranked Lightweight Renato Moicano (21-7-1), and Drew Dober (29-15-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and excellent Muay Thai. He’s more than willing to brawl on the feet, regularly getting into slugfests and hanging in the pocket to unload heavy combinations of hooks and overhands. Training at Kings MMA, Dariush has a solid arsenal of kicks and can do serious damage in tight spaces, particularly with his knees. He’s landing, on average, about two takedowns per fifteen minutes and has excellent wrestling and top control. He’s patient in top position, focusing on maintaining control, never getting wild while still pursuing submissions and doing damage. In his 17 UFC victories, he’s secured eight finishes, including five post-fight bonuses, and is rarely in a boring fight.

*Quillan Salkilld fires a kick to the head of Yanal Ashmouz. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Salkilld is on an eleven-fight win streak, holding UFC victories over Nasrat Haqparast (18-6-0), Yanal Ashmouz (8-2-0), and Jamie Mullarkey (18-9-0). He’s a dynamic, well-rounded fighter with one-shot knockout power and outstanding wrestling skills. He’s tall for the Lightweight division and uses it well, often staying at range and battering his opponent with long punches and kicks. Salkilld has a solid chin and is willing to exchange in the pocket, but he’s a very measured striker who throws everything with purpose and accuracy, not just power. Training at Luistro Combat Academy, he has fantastic takedowns, especially in the clinch, and can deliver powerful slams. He has excellent control on the mat, rarely giving up a position or wasting energy while picking his spots to land brutal ground-and-pound. Salkilld has earned a Performance of the Night bonus in three of his four UFC appearances and is always looking to add to his highlight reel of finishes.

#1 Jack Della Maddalena vs. #5 Carlos Prates

*Jack Della Maddalena stuns Belal Muhammad with a stiff left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Welterweight Bout

Jack Della Maddalena: 18-3-0, 12 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Carlos Prates: 23-7-0, 18 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Maddalena has won four of his last five fights and holds UFC victories over #4-ranked Welterweight Belal Muhammad (24-5-0), Gilbert Burns (22-10-0), and Kevin Holland (29-15-0). He is an excellent striker with technical boxing and heavy hands who can do serious damage from anywhere. He’s outlanded seven of his nine UFC opponents and always pushes a heavy pace, averaging 90 significant strikes landed in his last five outings. Maddalena throws everything in combination, excels at changing levels, attacks the head and body evenly, and regularly mixes body kicks and knees into punch combinations. He is an excellent counterstriker, using outstanding head movement and footwork to stay elusive while landing his own offense. Training at Scrappy MMA, he fights behind his jab and often strings together long, powerful combinations, cracking his opponent with seven or eight shots before returning to range. While Maddalena won’t usually go to the ground, he’s shown great scrambles, takedown defense, and the ability to escape deep waters.

*Carlos Prates stuns Leon Edwards with a thudding right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Prates has won four of his last five outings, with UFC victories coming over #8-ranked Welterweight Leon Edwards (22-6-0), Geoff Neal (16-8-0), and Neil Magny (31-15-0). He’s a destructive, technical striker with serious power in his hands. He favors power over volume but is highly accurate, throwing every shot with fight-ending intent. Prates does an excellent job varying his targets and angles and is a very fluid striker, regularly mixing knees and kicks into punch combinations. Training with the Fighting Nerds, he keeps his hands down, remaining unpredictable throughout the fight and firing vicious spinning attacks without telegraphing them. He’s unlikely to take the fight to the mat but has solid takedown defense, capable of defending shots both in open space and against the cage. Prates has exceptional knockout power and rarely sees the judges' scorecards, having won 12 of his last 13 fights by knockout.

Best Bets

Marwan Rahiki by KO/TKO: This is an intriguing matchup between two dangerous strikers early in their UFC careers. This will be Rahiki’s second UFC appearance, and it will be Schmid’s debut after Rahiki’s original opponent, Jack Jenkins, pulled out just two days ago. Given Rahiki’s striking prowess and the fact that his opponent is fighting on such short notice, I believe Rahiki has the advantage in this matchup. Schmid is a solid striker in his own right, but he has shown a tendency to take damage, something he cannot afford against someone with Rahiki’s punching power. Rahiki has also faced higher-caliber opponents, even on the regional scene, whereas Schmid has not recorded a win over a fighter with a winning record in his professional career. I expect this fight to get off to a quick start, with both fighters meeting in the middle of the Octagon and letting their hands go immediately, with Rahiki getting the better of the exchanges. As the fight continues, I don’t believe it will take long for Rahiki to find Schmid’s chin and land the shot that earns him another impressive finish win in the UFC.

Steve Erceg by Decision: This is an excellent matchup of two well-rounded Flyweights that I’ve been looking forward to. Both fighters are dangerous anywhere, but I believe Erceg has a distinct striking advantage, and I think that will be the difference-maker in this fight. Elliott has solid, unorthodox striking but is most comfortable on the mat, whereas Erceg is a very clean, technical striker with the grappling skills to keep the fight standing or make any grappling exchanges very competitive. Elliott has also struggled in the past when he has been unable to land his takedowns, as in his fights with Nicolau or Royval, where he was unable to do significant damage without securing top position. I anticipate Erceg getting the better of Elliott on the feet early, backing him up and doing damage while making it tough for Elliott to secure takedowns. As Erceg continues to pressure and force Elliott to strike with him, I believe Elliott's cardio and output will wane, allowing Erceg to take full control of the fight and dictate the pace and range of the fight. As Elliott slows down, I expect Erceg to continue coming forward, lighting up Elliott with clean strikes en route to a solid decision victory.

Della Maddalena vs. Prates Over 2.5 Rounds: This is a fantastic main event between two of the best Welterweights in the world. Both fighters are excellent strikers who could very likely earn a title shot with a landmark victory this Saturday. Although both have serious power and can produce finishes in a hurry, I would be surprised if this fight ended early. I don’t necessarily think this fight will be slow-paced, but neither fighter is an easy man to get out of the cage, and both are yet to suffer a finish loss in the UFC. I anticipate a brief feeling-out process to start the fight, with both fighters respecting each other’s power as they pick their shots and try to establish their respective rhythms. As the fight continues, I expect the pace and action to steadily rise, with both men taking more chances and letting their hands go more often. Ultimately, I believe there will be plenty of exciting exchanges and wild moments in this fight, but I’m confident it will last at least two and a half rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates Preview