At UFC 321, Quillan Salkilld admitted his foot was throbbing right after the knockout. He’d never put that much force into a strike before, not even during training sessions. The power he generated connecting with Nasrar Haqparast’s head exceeded anything he’d done, hitting pads or bags at the gym. That kind of impact left his foot sore immediately after the referee stepped in.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the fight, Salkilld looked back on the finish. The techniques he had practiced over and over came together perfectly in that moment. His coaches had focused on helping him drive power through his hips and follow through with each strike. All that hard work paid off when it counted most.

He said, “I don’t think I’ve kicked anything that hard ever before, not even the bag at the gym. As

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