“Gamer” will keep going.
No. 8-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Mateusz Gamrot got smoked in the first round by red-hot Australian prospect-turned-contender Quillan Salkilld in the UFC Vegas 120 main event this past weekend (Sat., Aug. 8, 2026) inside Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada (watch highlights).
Following the first-round submission loss, Gamrot released a statement on social media.
“I lost. But this defeat doesn’t end my story.
For many years, I’ve been walking this path,
which taught me that sports, like life, don’t always give us what we work hard for. Sometimes, instead of victory, we receive a lesson. Sometimes, instead of a raised hand, silence that forces us to look deeper within.
I’ve been to the top. I’ve also been to the bottom. I’ve won, I’ve lost, I’ve fallen, and I’ve come back. And that’s why I know my journey isn’t over yet.
You can defeat me in one evening, but you won’t take away my faith, my character, and my will to fight. I believe there are still great moments ahead of me. More chapters I haven’t written yet. Because a person isn’t defined by defeat. They are defined by what they do when they lose.
You can stay down, or you can get up.
I will get up!
With my head held high. With self-belief. With gratitude for the path I’ve already traveled, and hunger for what’s still ahead. Because as long as you’re walking, the story continues.
And truly, thank you to all my true fans for your support and love; together until the end.”
Gamrot (26-5) has now alternated wins and losses across his last six fights, and his run as the ranked veteran who turns away up-and-coming prospects has come to a crashing halt.
The Polish grappler has also now been submitted in his last two losses, falling to Salkilld and former Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira before him (watch highlights).
For the time being, Gamrot’s hopes of fighting for the Lightweight championship have been indefinitely cooled. He is still one of the toughest outs in the division, but after getting stopped in the first round by Salkilld, “Gamer” will likely need to rebuild before getting another major contender fight.
As for what comes next, the 35-year-old could be looking at a rematch with Rafael Fiziev or perhaps someone like Tofiq Musayev, who has finally started to find his stride.
Either way, Gamrot does not sound like a fighter ready to go away.
The story continues.
It just took a pretty nasty detour in Las Vegas.
For complete UFC Vegas 120 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
