Fresh off a head-kick knockout of Lewis Gonzalez at WSOF 12, lightweight Luis Palomino seems poised for a title shot.

Then again, the fighter told MMAjunkie Radio, the promotion needs to make up its mind about who’s next to challenge after a December title fight between champ Justin Gaethje and Melvin Guillard.

“If WSOF … makes up their mind and tells me I’m not going to get a title shot, then I might as well fight (soon),” Palomino said. “If I’m guaranteed to fight the winner of that, I’ll wait.”

Palomino (23-9) cut another piece for his highlight reel when Gonzalez (9-1) attempted a takedown and ran straight into his outstretched leg late in the first round of this past Saturday’s WSOF 12 headliner at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (watch the Palomino vs. Gonzalez video highlights). The event aired live on NBC Sports Network.

“From the very first kick, I saw his attitude change very fast, and me avoiding all the takedowns was making him lose his head about it, and he started to shoot at the wrong time, and shoot from far off,” Palomino explained. “I could see that it was all downhill for him from there.”

Now 2-0 in the upstart promotion, the 33-year-old fighter has two fights remaining on his contract and looks to maximize his opportunities.

“To tell you the truth, there’s no one that comes to mind on the roster other than the champion,” Palomino said. “I want that belt around my waist.”

A close training partner of onetime UFC featherweight title challenger Ricardo Lamas, Palomino trains out of MMA Masters in Miami and said he represents his home country of Peru whenever he steps into the cage.

“I was born in Peru, and I think I’m one of the most recognized Peruvian fighters in the world right now, and I represent it everywhere I go,” he said. “I have a pretty big following over there.

“I haven’t gotten that much coverage yet because all my fights have been in the states, but my name is starting to go around a lot more. And thanks to NBC, it’s going to around a lot more.”

Gaethje vs. Guillard is expected to air live on the Peacock Network for the promotion’s third trip to network TV. WSOF’s NBC debut drew just shy of a million viewers.

That’s good news for fighters such as Palomino, who’ve fought outside the UFC spotlight and are trying to build a name. According to the fighter, the surge can’t come at a better time. Although he’s lost to several UFC fighters, he owns wins over vets Daron Cruickshank and Jorge Masvidal. A win over Guillard or Gaethje would mark a career high.

“I would say in the last two years I really put my head into it,” Palomino said. “There was a lot of things going on in my life, and my concentration wasn’t always there. I always trained; that’s never been an issue. But my mind wouldn’t be in the right place, and I’m in a place in my life right now where everything is falling into place, and it allows me to go after what I want.

“I know what I want now, and I know how good I am and how hard I work. I think this is my time now to show the world.”

For complete coverage of WSOF 12, check out the MMA Events section of the site.