Pendleton County has a new face of mixed martial arts. MMA has taken rural America by storm with millions tuning in to watch the UFC every weekend. Daniel “Killshot” Kilburn made waves in the local social media scene after a video of his most recent knockout win made its rounds on Facebook.
The video showcased Kilburn viciously landing a cruise missile (his leg) to the neck of his opponent Johnny Gill. The kick knocked Gill onto the canvas as Kilburn swiftly jumped on top of him, pummeling his head into the floor en route to a decisive victory.
According to Kilburn, he started training MMA in 2009 which was the summer before he began attending Pendleton County High School.
“My entire family is big into combat sports and after seeing it on TV all the time, my cousin Shawn Littleton (Nickell) and I, came up with this huge plan to convince our parents to let us train,” said Kilburn. “Which was unnecessary because it took absolutely no convincing. I remember we asked on a Saturday and we were in the gym that following Monday.”
Kilburn has dabbled in many martial arts throughout his training, but chose to focus on Muy Thai and Jiu Jitsu. Due to Kilburn fighting MMA, he’s continued to sharpen his all-around game. He’s trains in multiple disciplines so he can have more tools in his bag, so to speak, during a fight.
Kilburn currently fights in the B2 Fighting Series, a regional circuit. B2 markets itself on their website as the “premier development league for MMA.”
“They give us fighters a spectacular show to display our skill and are consistently putting talent through to bigger promotions like the UFC,” said Kilburn.
His current fighting record on the B2 circuit is 2-0 in the Bantamweight division of MMA, and 1-1 in Muy Thai. His next scheduled fight is in December against an undefeated opponent, Jacob LeMaster. Kilburn trains at and coaches six days a week at his gym BarnYard MMA.
Combat sport athletes have to overcome adversity inside and outside the ring. On October 3 of 2020, Kilburn suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his second career Muy Thai bout. According to Kilburn, his knee gave out as he was loading up for a punch in the second round of the fight. For non-athletes, a devastating knee injury can derail general day-to-day activities without proper rehabilitation. The injury can leave lingering mental and physical effects that last a lifetime. For combat sport athletes, an injury of that magnitude could derail their entire career. The mental and physical effects are the same, with the possibility of never being able to properly return to the sport they love. Kilburn was undeterred in his recovery as he wouldn’t allow his knee injury to keep him from pursuing his fighting dreams. He put his nose to the grindstone and worked through it. “I kept god first, stayed the path and won my first two MMA fights before the year anniversary of my injury,” said Kilburn. “I didn’t change much in my training other than just listening to my body more. It really opened my eyes to how valuable my time is though. Most athletes get an injury like that and call it quits. My dream was almost taken from me but I was blessed to be able to get back on the mat again. I try to take advantage of every second of the day to better myself in every way.”
For Kilburn, this never say die mentality carries over into the ring. The way he orchestrates himself in a fight shows an intense competitive spirit with a certain grit that is required to overcome the many challenges thrown at fighters throughout the duration of a bout.
“I’m insanely competitive. I know the hard work I put into this sport and I plan to be a world champion one day,” said Kilburn. “So the way I see it, anyone I fight at any level is in my way to accomplish that goal. It’s do or die in that cage and I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to create my legacy.”
Kilburn’s ultimate goal is to become a world champion. Each fighter he faces is another obstacle he must overcome in order to reach that goal. His hard work has the capacity to inspire other people to pursue martial arts. He’s not only a fighter, but a talented MMA photographer and videographer. While he was recovering from his injury, Kilburn made time to expand his professional repertoire by photographing MMA fights and sparring sessions so he can use them to create marketing visuals.
Beyond his personal goals as a fighter, Kilburn wants to create a legacy in his community.
“Pendleton is my home. I’ve lived here my whole life and now I’m raising my family here,” said Kilburn. “I love representing my community and showing everyone the heart and values this town has instilled in me. It makes me train harder knowing my community has my back. When I hear “representing Falmouth, KY” right after they announce my name, I know I have an army behind me as I go into that battle, and there’s no way I’m letting a single one of them down.”
What Kilburn has done is unique, especially within Pendleton County. He has created a genuine buzz and intrigue into his fighting career. The road ahead will not be easy, but Kilburn is up to the challenge. If he retired from fighting tomorrow, he would be the most accomplished Pendleton County MMA fighter of the 21st century. He would also be a successful coach and entrepreneur.
If you’d like to follow Kilburn’s MMA career more closely, like his Facebook page, Daniel “Killshot” Kilburn for videos and information regarding his upcoming fights.
