5 Things We Learnt From UFC Perth

1. Australian fans aren’t silly

The sport has evolved, and so have the fans. West Aussies know their headline names in Jack Della Maddalena and Steve Erceg, but they’re just as locked in on rising stars like Quillan Salkilld and Cody Haddon. They’re also aware of the big names sitting cageside, the kind of presence that already makes a ticket feel worth it. That’s not to say the card lacked quality, it didn’t, but the reality is Aussie fans are educated enough now to know who they want to see, what kind of fights they’ll pay for, and what truly feels like value for money.

2. Michelle Montague is here to stay

Heading into fight week, I’ll admit I didn’t know a whole lot about Montague. By Sunday morning, everyone did. Charismatic, confident, and gritty in her debut win, she walked away with new fans all over the world. More importantly, she has the right team around her to turn that momentum into something big. For those who didn’t know her before Perth, the first impression was pitch perfect, Michelle Montague is officially on the radar.

3. CKB are even better than we thought

We already knew City Kickboxing were one of the world’s premier gyms, but with Israel Adesanya edging towards the later stages of his career, the question was whether they’d keep that pipeline of elite contenders flowing. Perth answered that question loudly. Pericic and Rowston announced themselves as serious prospects, Navajo Stirling kept his momentum rolling, and Carlos Ulberg stepped into number-one contender territory. CKB aren’t just still here, they’re reloading.

4. The home soil advantage is real

Think about how Dagestani fighters dominate in Abu Dhabi, that’s the same kind of edge ANZ fighters now have in Australia. The time zone, the weather, the crowd, the routine… it all adds up. International fighters are already hit with tax complications, now throw in travel fatigue and hostile territory. The results spoke for themselves, it was nearly a clean sweep for the locals, and it might have been if not for a referee blunder. UFC Perth showed us just how tough it’s going to continue to be for outsiders when the Octagon lands here.

5. Jimmy Crute could be on something special

I don’t want to jinx it, but this might be the beginning of one of the most inspiring title runs we’ve ever seen. Crute has always had the tools, but this reinvented version, mentally and physically, is dangerous. Back-to-back submissions at light heavyweight, a division not exactly known for slick grappling, tells the story. Add in the fact he’s backflipping (just) post-fight and singing in press conferences? It feels like “The Brute” has finally put everything together, and the division should be on

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