UFC 285 Clash: Gamrot Vs. Turner!

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight standouts Mateusz Gamrot and Jalin Turner will go to war this weekend (Sat., March 4, 2023) at UFC 285 inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It’s easy to forget that Gamrot is just six fights into his UFC career. The former KSW kingpin jumped right into the deep end of the Lightweight division, establishing himself as a top contender and title threat when he upset Arman Tsarukyan in a main event thriller. He came up short against Beneil Dariush, but he did once again show the grit that earned him the “Gamer” moniker. He steps up on short-notice versus Turner, who has quietly demolished five straight foes at 155 pounds. Massive for the division and a potent finisher, “The Tarantula” is a divisional dark horse, but he’s earned his chance to break into the Top 10 here.

Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:

Mateusz Gamrot

Record: 21-2 (1)
Key Wins: Arman Tsarukyan (UFC Vegas 57), Carlos Diego Ferreira (UFC Vegas 45), Scott Holtzman (UFC Vegas 23), Jeremy Stephens (UFC Vegas 31)
Key Losses: Beneil Dariush (UFC 280), Guram Kutateladze (UFC Fight Island 6)
Keys To Victory: Gamrot is definitely a triple threat. He’s stopped two of his four UFC wins via knockout, has proven himself an excellent offensive and defensive wrestler, and he’s a rather experienced competition grappler with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to boot.

In this match up, however, wrestling is clearly the way to go.

Striking with someone like Turner is never that fun. He’s got a miserable combination of reach and power, meaning he can hit from unusual positions that end the fight immediately. There’s little margin for error, meaning even a smart kickboxing game plan can backfire quickly.

Back in 2019, Turner was soundly outwrestled by Matt Frevola en route to his second UFC loss. Obviously, that’s some years ago, but the general idea remains the same. Gamrot’s best skill is his ability to wear opponents down with relentlessly chain wrestling and aggressive top pressure, and that’s a style that’s worked previously against Turner.

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Jalin Turner

Record: 13-5
Key Wins: Brad Riddell (UFC 276), Jamie Mullarkey (UFC 272), Joshua Culibao (UFC Fight Night 168)
Key Losses: Matt Frevola (UFC 236), Vicente Luque (UFC 229)
Keys To Victory: 6’3” with a 77-inch reach, Turner has an absurd size advantage over most of the Lightweight division. He’s not weak for the division, either, which is common for lankier fighters. Instead, Turner has considerable power and an aggressive submission game.

Shots up the middle are key here. Gamrot moves around a lot, but his entries tend to be on straight lines. Teep kicks, straight punches, uppercuts — any shot fired that can cause a collision when Gamrot moves forward should be the focus for Turner.

In addition, Turner should really be looking to punish failed shots. Gamrot has a habit of taking long distance shots, even trying low-percentage moves like the low single. He gets away with it because he’s a great wrestler with an endless gas tank, but there’s a reason this is generally frowned upon from a strategic standpoint.

If Gamrot puts himself out of position, Turner has to be looking to capitalize. A single strike from “The Tarantula” can end the contest, particularly if Gamrot isn’t ready for it.

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Bottom Line

A Top 10 spot is on the line.

Gamrot’s position here is really at risk, even if he did take the fight on short-notice. His current ranking is highly dependent upon that victory over Arman Tsarukyan, a decision that many scored against him. If he loses consecutive fights now, he’ll slide down the ladder considerably, which is not ideal for the 32-year-old veteran. Fortunately, the benefit of taking this risk is that victory solidifies his contender status and offers a quick rebound from the Dariush loss.

Conversely, this is Turner’s big opportunity, larger than even if he was facing his original opponent, Dan Hooker. Victory clearly means Turner will join the Top 10, and his all-action style likely lines him up for another high-profile contest yet. At 27 years of age, Turner is likely in a weird cross section of coming into his prime and also outgrowing the Lightweight cut. His window to chase 155-pound gold is probably small, which adds some pressure here.

At UFC 285, Mateusz Gamrot and Jalin Turner will face off. Which Lightweight earns the victory?

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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 285 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

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