Mateusz Gamrot has his sights set on a challenging bout this weekend, but he`s also keen on the prospect of stepping into the octagon with Paddy Pimblett down the line.
Gamrot is scheduled to face Ludovit Klein in the co-main event at UFC Vegas 107 this Saturday at the UFC APEX. The former KSW champion aims to bounce back from a close split-decision defeat to Dan Hooker in a “Fight of the Night” performance at UFC 305 in July.
Since Gamrot`s last fight, significant changes have occurred in the lightweight division. Islam Makhachev vacated the lightweight title to move up to welterweight, Ilia Topuria is slated to compete against Charles Oliveira for the vacant belt at UFC 317, and Paddy Pimblett`s profile has surged following a decisive stoppage win over Michael Chandler at UFC 314.
“The lightweight division is the most dangerous division and the best division,” Gamrot commented to MMA Fighting. “Things are constantly shifting each month. I wasn`t surprised Islam moved up; he`s beaten everyone at lightweight and likely wants a second belt.”
Regarding Pimblett, Gamrot didn`t mince words: “But Paddy Pimblett, I don’t like this guy. He talks too much and he has a really easy path to becoming a star.” While many might believe Pimblett deserves a title opportunity, Gamrot acknowledges, “at the end of the day, this is UFC decision and UFC, they choose.”
Gamrot`s immediate priority is his upcoming fight. “For me, to be honest, right now, it’s focus [on] this fight and I want to get the win, put a really good performance, and this year I want to stay active,” he stated. He hopes that achieving his goals this year will pave the way for 2025 to be “huge for me.”
Pimblett finished Chandler in the third round with relentless ground and pound at the UFC`s April pay-per-view event. While “The Baddy`s” performance caught many eyes, Gamrot wasn`t surprised by the outcome, largely attributing it to the caliber of the opposition.
“This was a good performance, but always you have put good performance when the [fighter in] front of you is [going] backward, the guy who is doing nothing,” Gamrot explained. He believes the “best Chandler was like five years, seven years ago,” and the current version “was so easy for him.” Gamrot added, “I think that Chandler is so easy for everybody now in the lightweight division. So I am not surprised that he looked like that.”
Despite Pimblett`s recent win, Gamrot maintains his assessment: “But I still think he’s an easy fight, Paddy Pimblett.” He predicts that Pimblett will encounter significant challenges when facing “really good, high-level opponents.”
Gamrot`s loss to Hooker snapped a three-fight winning streak, bringing his record to 7-2 in his last nine appearances. He faces Klein, who enters the bout riding a quiet but impressive seven-fight unbeaten streak.
Gamrot anticipates a massive 2025 campaign, starting with a victory over Klein. Ultimately, he desires a fight with Pimblett to potentially show fans that the rising star might not be as formidable as perceived.
“I think [I’d be a nightmare for him],” Gamrot asserted. He expressed his desire to “meet him in in the octagon,” viewing it as a probable future confrontation. He considers it a “great stylistic fight” because Pimblett, despite recent focus on striking, is fundamentally a grappler. Gamrot predicts a finish on the ground: “I finish him in the ground, for sure, because he made a lot of mistakes on the ground, and I see this, and I have tools to get the win.”
He noted that his previous opponents were mostly strikers, allowing him to effectively demonstrate his ground game. However, Gamrot emphasized that he becomes “really dangerous” when matched with someone who engages in grappling and scrambling.
