CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Clarksville native and MMA fighter Jacob Kilburn will make his UFC debut against Billy Quarantillo Saturday, Dec. 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The card will air on ESPN following the early preliminary fights on ESPN+.
Kilburn steps in for former Cage Warrior champion Chris Fishgold, who had to withdraw from the event for unknown reasons. The 24-year-old discussed what immediately went through his mind when the organization came calling to offer him the short-notice opportunity.
“Just excitement,” Kilburn said. “We knew the call was going to come any day. We had already received confirmation that we were next on the list if someone got injured. The opponent didn’t really matter. I was just glad that I didn’t have to wait any longer.”
Kilburn made a name for himself while fighting on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
“It was a big learning experience for a lot of reasons,” Kilburn said. “I had to fight through some injuries and some other problems. It was really good for me to fight where there was no crowd, no music and also feel the pressure of fighting in front of the UFC president. It made me into the fighter I am today for sure.”
Kilburn enters the UFC octagon with a professional record of 8 wins and 2 losses. He’s currently coming off two back-to-back one-punch knockouts, and will be looking to carry over his stretch of dominant performances to Saturday.
Though there have been multiple people to fight in the UFC who once lived or trained in Clarksville and even local fighters who have signed with the promotion, Kilburn will become the first fighter that actively lives and trains in Clarksville, to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
“This means so much to me to be the guy who put my city on the map,” Kilburn said. “It’s great to be able to show my students that you can achieve your goals with hard work and a positive attitude.”
In 2018, Kilburn was likely one solid performance away from being signed to the UFC. However, he suffered a bit of a setback when he was submitted by Bobby Moffett in the second round of DWCS 16.
Kilburn shared what the loss ultimately taught him and how he’s been able to have the success that he’s had recently.
“It’s a shift in mindset,” Kilburn said. “You can’t let the other guy dictate the pace. You have to be one step ahead. The embarrassment of knowing I let things slip through my fingers changed me. Within the last year, I’ve just come out a different Jacob. More focused and very diligent.”
When he’s not in the octagon, Kilburn can be found at Harris Holt Martial Arts Academy, where he teaches karate and jiu-jitsu.
“We opened in January of 2012,” Kilburn said. “I’m there before the sun comes up working out and then cleaning the facility at night. It’s like a second home.”
As a professional MMA fighter, Kilburn also aspires to be a strong spiritual voice in the Clarksville community.
“This is not a fight career; this is a ministry,” Kilburn said. “Literally, my only goal is to grow the kingdom of God, and through the rough and tough sport of MMA, I am able to reach the tougher crowds of people that most people don’t.”
Jacob “The Killer” Kilburn (8-2, 0-0 UFC) will fight Billy Quarantillo (12-2, 0-0 UFC) in a featherweight bout during UFC on ESPN 7.
“He’s a well-rounded fighter,” Kilburn said of his opponent. “He’s not really a specialist anywhere. If he does have more skills anywhere, I’d probably lean towards his ground game. Every time he’s had a big opportunity, he rises to the occasion. I’m assuming Saturday night will be no different. He’s fought a lot of tough guys, but he’s never fought me. It’ll be a good fight and I’m looking forward to it. We’re going to come out with our hand raised and win by whatever means necessary.”
You can follow Kilburn on Instagram @jacobkilburnufc and watch his UFC debut this Saturday night, live on ESPN. The card will officially begin at 6 p.m.