Quillan Salkilld stuns Mateusz Gamrot with first-round rear-naked choke. What looked like a battle of elite wrestling quickly turned into Salkilld’s night as he found Gamrot’s back and forced the tap with a rear-naked choke at 4:25 of the opening round.
The UFC returned to the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday, August 8, 2026, for an action-packed Fight Night card headlined by a fascinating lightweight clash between Mateusz Gamrot and rising Australian contender Quillan Salkilld. Mateusz Gamrot entered the UFC Vegas 120 main event looking to build on a strong start to 2026. The Polish veteran had most recently defeated Esteban Ribovics by second-round submission via arm-triangle choke at UFC 327 on April 11. The victory came after Gamrot had suffered a second-round submission loss to former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in October 2025, giving him an opportunity to bounce back and strengthen his position in the division. Before the Oliveira defeat, Gamrot had put together a solid run, including a unanimous decision win over Ľudovít Klein in May 2025. He had also defeated Rafael dos Anjos by unanimous decision in 2024. With a record built largely on elite wrestling, relentless pressure and strong cardio, Gamrot had remained one of the more experienced names in the lightweight division.
Quillan Salkilld, meanwhile, had entered the fight riding serious momentum. The Australian had remained undefeated in his UFC career, with his most recent victory coming against Beneil Dariush on May 2, 2026. Salkilld stopped the veteran by first-round TKO at 3:29, adding another impressive finish to his rapidly growing resume. That win followed another spectacular performance against Jamie Mullarkey in January 2026, when Salkilld secured a first-round submission at 3:02. Before that, he had knocked out Nasrat Haqparast in the first round and defeated Yanal Ashmouz by unanimous decision. His UFC debut had also ended in a first-round TKO victory over Anshul Jubli. the contrast in momentum made the matchup even more intriguing.
The fight started quickly, with Quillan Salkilld using his jab and leg kicks while Mateusz Gamrot looked for openings to close the distance. Gamrot soon shot for a single-leg takedown, but Salkilld defended and reversed the position. During the scramble, Gamrot went for a heel hook, but Salkilld stayed calm, escaped and returned to his feet. Salkilld then changed levels and successfully took Gamrot down. Once the fight hit the canvas, Salkilld immediately worked for back control. Gamrot tried to scramble free, but Salkilld stayed attached and secured his position. Salkilld eventually flattened Gamrot out and locked in a rear-naked choke. Gamrot had nowhere to go and was forced to tap at 4:25 of the first round.
“I don’t give a f*ck,” Salkilld responded when asked who he wants next. “As long as it’s in the top five. I think I deserve someone in the top five or close to it.” Salkilld had turned Gamrot’s own grappling game against him, surviving Gamrot’s submission attempt before taking his back and finishing the fight. The victory extended Salkilld’s winning streak to 13 fights and marked his sixth consecutive UFC victory.
