The UFC’s Meta Apex hosted yet another event this past weekend for UFC Vegas 120. This Fight Night card featured a main event between two ranked high-level grapplers in the up and coming Quillan Salkilld taking on longtime contender Mateusz Gamrot. In the co-main event, the return of fan favorite, Billy Quarantillo, at a new weight class, taking on a twelve-year veteran of the promotion in Diego Ferreira. Twelve bouts on this fight card with a five-fight main card that delivered as it featured all the performance bonuses on the card.
Mateusz Gamrot
(#9) Quillan Salkilld out-grappled (#6) Mateusz Gamrot in an action packed first round to secure a rear naked choke and land a huge win in the main event on Saturday. Gamrot is now 9-5 under the UFC’s banner after being signed in 2020. Mateusz is 3-3 in his last six fights, dating back to 2024. (Other losses to Dan Hooker and Charles Oliveira.) Gamrot’s wins during this period include Rafael dos Anjos, L’udovit Klein and a finish over Esteban Ribovics back in April.
Mateusz’s next fight should be against the winner of Fares Ziam vs. Axel Sola. These are two fringe ranked guys and the winner will almost certainly gain a number next to their name. Ziam is 8-3 in the UFC and had his 6-fight win streak snapped his last time out by Tom Nolan (who is now ranked). Axel is 2-1 in the UFC and has finishes against Rhys McKee and Ismael Bonfim. That bout goes down on September 5th, so the timing is fine. If the winner of that bout doesn’t produce a ranked matchup, then a great backup would be Dan Hooker. This scenario would work best only if Dan loses his next bout to Salahdine Parnasse. Parnasse is making his UFC debut but is more than ready for the limelight. Considering Hooker is 0-2 since defeating Gamrot by split decision in August of 2024, this is a fight that could make a lot of sense (Mateusz is 2-2). And one that fans would likely want to see, considering the first fight won fight of the night honors.
Gamrot’s next fight: Winner of Fares Ziam vs. Axel Sola, backup (#12) Dan Hooker II if he loses to Salahdine Parnasse
Billy Quarantillo
Diego Ferreira defeated Billy Quarantillo in an exciting three rounder on Saturday that ultimately won fight of the night. The fight was Billy’s first moving up to the lightweight division, so being thwarted by the 42-year-old has got to sting. Not to mention, this fight ended the longest stretch of inactivity while with the UFC for Quarantillo. Billy hadn’t fought since his December of 2024 stoppage loss to Cub Swanson. Quarantillo has now lost three fights in a row and is 1-3 in his last four.
Billy’s next fight should be against the loser of the Jalin Turner vs. Kau Fernandes bout. That bout is scheduled for August 15th so the timing would line up great. Kau is 3-1 with the UFC. After dropping his 2023 promotional debut to Marc Diakiese via split decision, Kau has looked unstoppable. First round stoppage over Mohammad Yahya, followed by a decision victory over Guram Kutateladze and most recently, a first round calf kick stoppage opposite of Harry Hardwick, last September.
Jalin Turner, a once ranked lightweight, is 8-6 with the promotion. The 2018 Contender Series alum has struggled recently and underwent a temporary retirement. Turner has won just two of his last six fights since 2023. Both were first round stoppages against King Green and Edson Barboza. That bout should be fight that has fans on the edge of their seats. Loser drawing Billy makes a lot of sense here as Jalin has reached that elite tier of lightweights, and much like Quarantillo, was unable to to pass those tests.
Quarantillo’s next fight: Loser of Jalin Turner vs. Kau Fernandes
Darren Elkins
Yadier del Valle played spoiler on the main card of UFC Vegas 120 on Saturday with his thirty second thrashing of veteran Darren Elkins. 42-year-old Elkins announced heading into the fight that this would be the last dance for him. Elkins is 19-12 with the UFC since being signed in 2010, and 29-12 as a pro. Darren is the owner of two separate five-fight win streaks with the UFC. Elikns also had one of the best comebacks of all time with his 2017 fight against Mirsad Bektic. The gritty wrestler known simply to fans as ‘The Damage’ will be sorely missed. Happy retirement.
Elkins’s next fight: Retirement
Amanda Lemos
(#10) Alexia Thainara secured her biggest win to date on Saturday with her unanimous decision victory over former title challenger (#11) Amanda Lemos. The loss on the main card of UFC Vegas 120 makes the third straight loss for Lemos (other losses to Taitiana Suarez and Gillian Robertson). Amanda has also lost four of her last five and is now 9-7 with the promotion since being signed in 2017.
Amanda’s next fight will be a similar scenario to a previous fighter featured on Losers, Tabatha Ricci. Lemos lost to a young gun much like Ricci and at 39-years-old she’s got to do some heavy lifting to ascend in the rankings again. Lemos should draw the loser of Denise Gomes vs. Yan Xiaonan, only if that is a competitive fight, with no domination or finishes. Yan is also a former title challenger much like Lemos. She’s also 9-4 with the UFC since being signed in 2017. Like Lemos, Yan has also lost to Virna Janidroba recently. If she loses on August 29th, she’ll be 2-2 in her last four bouts. Denise is 6-2 since coming off the Contender Series in 2022. She’s currently riding a four-fight winning streak. Timing would work well here, too. Back up fighter would be Talita Alencar. Talita, a product of the 2023 season of the Contender Series is 4-1 within the UFC. Her last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Julia Polastri back in April.
Lemos’s next fight: Loser of (#8) Denise Gomes vs. (#5) Yan Xiaonan if a competitive loss or (#15) Talita Alencar
Billy Ray Goff
Ty Miller stayed perfect Saturday as he stopped Billy Ray Goff 15 seconds into the third round to open the main card of UFC Vegas 120. Goff was badly out gunned, is now sitting in the hot-seat as he is 1-3 with the UFC and riding a 3-fight losing streak.
Billy’s next fight should be against Richie Miranda. Timing on this bout would work well as Richie lost on the undercard of UFC Vegas 120 on Saturday. Miranda dropped a unanimous decision bout to Manoel Sousa. Richie is now 13-2 as a pro after dropping his promotional debut to Sousa who is 2-0 with the UFC. This would be an excellent scrappy matchup with the loser of this bout likely getting the boot from the roster.
Goff’s next fight: Richie Miranda
