Mateusz Gamrot is a formidable force on the ground, known for his dangerous grappling prowess. This Saturday, “Gamer” has a golden opportunity to significantly advance his title aspirations by headlining UFC Rio.
Stepping into hostile territory, Gamrot will face submission king Charles Oliveira on October 11th. This high-stakes bout materialized on short notice after Rafael Fiziev`s injury, allowing the Polish contender to seize a pivotal moment. While Oliveira is celebrated as the UFC`s all-time leader in submissions, Gamrot himself boasts an impressive collection of tap-out victories, including one that etched his name into Octagon history just four years ago.
Mateusz Gamrot beat Jeremy Stephens with the fastest-ever UFC kimura
Currently ranked No. 8 in the UFC lightweight division, Mateusz Gamrot has secured five submission wins across his 25 professional victories. Although he has only one submission within the UFC Octagon, it was an unforgettable moment.
After an initial 1-1 run in the promotion, “Gamer” was assigned a high-profile fight against veteran Jeremy Stephens in July 2021. Their clash took place on the undercard of UFC Vegas 31, an event headlined by Islam Makhachev`s own submission victory. However, Gamrot`s grappling performance that night stole the show, as he set a new UFC record with his lightning-fast kimura against “Lil Heathen.”
The Polish star needed only 65 seconds to force Stephens to tap out with the brutal move, marking the quickest kimura submission in UFC history.
Mateusz Gamrot thinks Charles Oliveira was scared to fight him at UFC Rio
Securing Charles Oliveira`s agreement to fight Gamrot as a replacement for UFC Rio wasn`t straightforward. Initially, after “Gamer” put his name forward, Oliveira dismissed the challenge, citing the stylistic differences between Gamrot and the injured Fiziev.
During UFC Rio fight week, the No. 8-ranked lightweight openly questioned Oliveira`s initial reluctance. Gamrot commented to MMA Fighting, “For me, this was a little bit (of a) surprise because I saw his interview in Portuguese. He knows my name, he respects me. Of course, I respect him a lot too. But (his) camp (was) prepared for different style, versus striker guy, and he is not ready for my style. For me, this was a little bit funny because he’s the lion, the most submissions in the UFC history. He submits almost everybody. How can be scared (of) a grappler guy?”
Gamrot continued, “I am a grappler, I want to take down everybody in my fight, so this is going to be the same with Charles. We step in the cage, but I want to take him down and want to scramble with him in the ground.” Gamrot`s remarks suggest he believes Oliveira`s camp was avoiding a grappling-heavy opponent, despite Oliveira`s own legendary submission record.
