Quillan Kilchell (left) attempts a head kick against Yanal Ashmoz. [UFC]
Quillan Kilchell (left) attempts a head kick against Yanal Ashmoz. [UFC]

Rising star Quillan Kilchell (26, Australia), riding a 12-fight winning streak, is targeting a top-10 ranking by taking on veteran Mateusz Gamrot (35, Poland).

Kilchell, ranked No. 12 in the UFC lightweight division with a 12-1 record, will face No. 8 Gamrot (26-4-1) in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Kilchell at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday. It will be Kilchell's first UFC main event.

Kilchell has gone unbeaten for five years since losing his professional debut. He claimed the Eternal MMA lightweight title in Australia in 2023 before signing with the UFC through Dana White's Contender Series in September 2024. He has gone 5-0 inside the octagon, earning four Performance of the Night bonuses along the way. Nine of his 12 wins have come by finish, giving him a 75 percent finishing rate.

Kilchell said he specifically requested Gamrot as his top-10 opponent. "I was the one who said I wanted Gamrot first," he said. "He's a tough fight for anyone, and that's exactly why I want to fight him. I don't want to pick easy opponents on my way to the top — I want the hard ones."

Gamrot, who has beaten No. 2-ranked Arman Tsarukyan, promises to be a genuine test. A wrestler since age 10, Gamrot is an accomplished grappler and a former Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) European champion. He transitioned to MMA in 2011 and held both the featherweight and lightweight titles in Polish promotion KSW before joining the UFC in 2020, where he holds a 9-4 record.

Gamrot said he respects Kilchell's striking but welcomes a grappling exchange. "Kilchell is tall and strong, so I have to be careful in the standup — but if he tries to take me down or wants to fight on the ground, I welcome that," he said. "The key to victory will be conditioning and mental toughness. My cardio is insane. I love building momentum round by round."

Kilchell plans to neutralize Gamrot's grappling and impose his striking. "I need to stuff the takedown and keep the pressure on with a sprawl-and-brawl approach — hit him hard," he said. "I can't give up easy takedowns or let him get comfortable on the ground."

The main card's third bout will serve as the retirement fight of veteran Darren "The Danger" Elkins (42, United States), who faces Yadier Del Valle (30, Cuba) to close out a 19-year career. Elkins turned professional in 2007 and holds an overall record of 29-12. Since his UFC debut in 2010, he has gone 19-11 over 16 years and holds the record for the most fights in UFC featherweight history with 28.


yjc@heraldcorp.com