UFC Vegas 114 Winner Eyes 'Dream' Matchup in Attempt to Avenge Only MMA Loss

Kevin Vallejos earned a first-round TKO against Josh Emmett in the main event from Las Vegas Saturday night.

(Zuffa LLC)

UFC featherweight contender Kevin Vallejos made an emphatic statement Saturday night, knocking out Josh Emmett in just under four minutes from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas to conclude an entertaining 14-fight card.

Vallejos (18-1 MMA) kept his post-fight comments brief, praising Emmett, an Arizona native, for his "legend" status while also reminding the rest of the featherweight division that he is the furthest from a pushover in a crowded division that recently saw Alexander Volkanovski retain his title against Diego Lopes at UFC 325 in January.

Following the stoppage-win over Emmett (19-7 MMA), Vallejos explained his reasoning behind allowing UFC brass to pick his next opponent, rather than trying to set up a fight against the division's elite.

Kevin Vallejos Discusses Immediate Future After UFC Vegas 114

Kevin Vallejos defeated Giga Chikadze at UFC Vegas 112. | (Zuffa LLC)

 "I want to get better," Vallejos told reporters via translation. "There are things I want to work in camp. Little by little, I think I can give more than I gave tonight. I think I have much more to give and I want to make sure that I'm prepared for that, so I'll take on any challenge that's given to me."

Vallejos has a small UFC sample size thus far, having made his promotional debut exactly one year ago Sunday, and has won three in a row since then to bring his overall streak to seven.

Narrowing it down, though, Vallejos is eying former top contenders and ex-title challengers, including Yair Rodriguez, Brian Ortega, and Jean Silva, to name a few.

"Obviously, with Volk being the champion, I think a fight against Yair [Rodriguez] or Brian [Ortega] would be great. I think those would be great fights," Vallejos said. "And everybody knows about the history with Jean Silva. It'll be a great fight, but I'll tell you what: I root for the guy. I want him really to get the title so I can have a rematch against him for that belt. That's what I would like."

Could Kevin Vallejos Avenge Only MMA Loss?

Jan 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Arnold Allen (red gloves) reacts during the fight Jean Silva (blue gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Vallejos was initially denied a contract at the expense of Silva in Sept. 2023, losing a unanimous decision before eventually working his way back up the ladder on the regional scene. The fight remains Vallejos' only professional loss.

Ultimately, though, Vallejos is happy with his career path thus far. In his words, he's "living the dream" and taking it one fight at a time, regardless of who the opponent may be. The end goal, though, is the same: to become a world champion in the UFC.

We'll see if Vallejos can get it done.