It came out of nowhere. Just when one expected, a near-perfect roundhouse took the wind out of Moroccan fighter Nasrat Haqparast. The lightweight bout against Quillan Salkilld ended almost as soon as it began when, halfway into the opening round, the Australian’s right leg landed flush on Haqparast’s head. The latter was knocked unconscious even before he hit the canvas.

That moment sparked alarm, as Nasrat Haqparast lay motionless on the canvas for a worrying stretch. While the kick, a textbook mawashi-geri, and its sheer force left everyone stunned, Haqparast’s condition left many deeply worried. A flood of comments poured in on social media almost immediately.

Quillan Salkilld silences the arena with a vicious head kick at UFC 321

Senior USA Today reporter Mike Bohn summarized it best: “Oh my lord. Quillan Salkilld with an all-time head kick KO of Nasrat Haqparast #UFC321,” his tweet read. Haqparast and Salkilld began the fight cautiously. Aside from a few exchanged shots, both spent the opening moments testing each other’s range.

Midway through the first round, the two squared off at the center of the cage. After throwing a jab, the Australian positioned himself at just the right distance and unleashed a roundhouse kick. Since they were in opposing stances, the head kick was there for either guy. Haqparast, perhaps not expecting it, had his guard down. Salkilld’s right leg connected cleanly with the side of the Moroccan’s head, sending him crashing to the mat instantly.

It took several minutes before the attending medical staff and officials could revive Nasrat Haqparast. For those tense moments, everyone inside the Etihad Arena, and countless viewers watching from the comfort of their homes, fell silent, deeply concerned for his well-being.

Haqparast and Quillan Salkilld had met on the undercard of the Tom Aspinall-Ciryl Gane-headlined UFC 321, taking place at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena. Only a few fights remained on the main card before the two heavyweights were set to clash in the grand finale.

Let’s look at some of the reactions that poured in after Quillan Salkilld scored the devastating knockout.

Everyone, from Salkilld to fans at home, shows concern for Haqparast

“Come on, come on. Get up,” muttered Salkilld under his breath when the camera focused on him. Behind him, Daniel Cormier leaned on the fence, waiting for the Octagon interview, while the physicians tried to revive Haqparast. The concern was clear and the silence was getting loud. Fortunately, a few seconds later, the arena burst into lukewarm applause as the losing fighter got to his feet.

MMA Junkie’s Nolan King expressed immediate concern for the Moroccan fighter: “Nasrat Haqparast is still down… it’s been minutes.” Haqparast had landed face-first, prompting a cageside official to first turn him onto his back before medical staff attended to him.

One user could only point to the Australian fighter in disbelief: “Holy f**k Quillan Salkilld, that was nasty.” To be fair, Salkilld did exactly what he was there to do—and he executed it with complete professionalism.

Salkilld’s kick left fans speechless. One comment read: “Quillan Salkilld just caught a BODY. Oh my god. That was violent. ” The precision of the strike stunned everyone. From the moment Salkilld chambered his right leg to the instant he released it, everything unfolded perfectly in a flash of seconds.

If one viewer was left in awe of the Aussie’s skill, “Brother, this kid Quillan Salkilld is special. Scary KO win,” to one fan, their live stream seemingly faltered, “HOLY S*IT QUILLAN SALKILLD MY STREAM LIKE PAUSED. HOLY SMOKES, HE IS OUT COLD.”

Perth-born Quillan Salkilld entered the cage for the third time this year. His record with the UFC now stands at 3-0. He suffered a loss in his professional debut with Eternal MMA four years ago, but he quickly rewrote the script, embarking on a winning streak that continues to this day. His overall MMA record now stands at 10-1. For Nasrat Haqparast, who had been riding a five-fight win streak since his loss to King Green, it’s back to the drawing board before his next step forward.

What did you think of the UFC 321 KO? Let us know in the comments.