Carlos Prates delivered a statement win in Perth, stopping former champion Jack Della Maddalena by third-round TKO in the main event of UFC Fight Night at RAC Arena on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
The victory marked Prates’ seventh knockout inside the Octagon and his third straight, capping a card that saw several breakout performances and pivotal results across multiple divisions.
Quillan Salkilld scored a first-round TKO over Beneil Dariush in what was described as his toughest test to date in the Octagon. Brando Pericic continued his surge with a second-round knockout of Shamil Gaziev, securing his fifth straight win and third UFC knockout.
Former title challenger Steve Erceg earned a unanimous decision over Tim Elliott, giving him two consecutive victories after previously dropping three straight in 2024-2025. In heavyweight action, Louie Sutherland went 15 hard minutes with Tai Tuivasa to earn a decision win, handing Tuivasa his seventh consecutive loss and securing Sutherland’s first UFC victory after two initial setbacks.
The event also unfolded against an active backdrop in the wider UFC landscape. Islam Makhachev is in talks to defend his belt against Ian Machado Garry in a few months, though nothing is finalized. Renato Moicano, ranked No. 9, recently snapped a two-fight skid by defeating Chris Duncan, while No. 10-ranked Alex Perez is scheduled to face Su Madaerji at the end of the month.
In the heavyweight rankings, Shamil Gaziev holds the No. 14 spot, Rizvan Kuniev sits at No. 8 with a 1-1 UFC record, and Gokhan Saricam recently debuted successfully by knocking out Tanner Boser.
