Mateusz Gamrot welcomes the challenge of Charles Oliveira’s grappling.
Gamrot (25-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) is stepping in on less than a month’s notice to take on former lightweight champion Oliveira (35-11 MMA, 23-11 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 261 main event Oct. 11 at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
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Oliveira is the most decorated finisher and submission artist in UFC history, but Gamrot is confident in his wrestling.
“Jiu-jitsu and wrestling are my background,” Gamrot said on UFC Unfiltered. “This is in my heart. I feel it in my DNA. I can roll with him on the ground. I think this is going to be an epic fight on the ground, for sure, because I’m not afraid of his ground. I will go and take him down, and I’m going to try and roll with him on the ground. But this is going to be an all-rounder fight.
“I’m going to exchange punches, exchange wrestling. I want to test myself against him on the ground. This is going to be nonstop action, for sure – five rounds nonstop action. But maybe we don’t need five rounds. Epic fight for sure – super excited.”
Not only will Gamrot be stepping in on short notice, but he will be flying across to compete in enemy territory. The Polish fighter says bring it on.
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“I go to his hometown to Brazil, all Brazil against me – give me this energy,” Gamrot said. “Give me this energy, because I grew up with this. Every boo will be power to me. And you know what? Wrestling is power – control, strength, conditioning, everything.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Mateusz Gamrot won’t shy away from Charles Oliveira’s ground game