Midnight Mania: ‘Gamer’ The Best Wrestler At 155-Pounds?

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Mateusz Gamrot is a force on the floor.

The former KSW champion is a wrestler since childhood, as well as a former member of the Polish national wrestling team. Inside the Octagon, he’s racked up takedowns against every opponent he’s faced, including an impressive six takedowns against Arman Tsarukyan and four opposite Beneil Dariush. Gamrot has a wealth of takedown options in his arsenal, including slick low ankle picks and duck-unders that are rarely seen in MMA.

But is he better than Islam Makhachev, the Lightweight champion? Makhachev has been absolutely dominant on the canvas, smashing most of his opposition on the strength of his wrestling, much like his longtime team mate Khabib Nurmagomedov. It’s pretty impossible to argue with his results, but Gamrot still feels confident in his status as the best wrestler at 155 lbs.

“I don’t care because my wrestling skills always beat strikers,” Gamrot said on Wednesday’s media day (h/t MMAJunkie). “I am only interested in one guy in this lightweight division. He is a wrestler. He is Islam Makhachev. I believe he will win with Charles Oliveira and I hope that we meet in the future – hopefully next year or in two years.”

“I think so,” Gamrot answered in response to whether or not he was the better wrestler than Makhachev. “We’ll see. I have to meet him in the octagon and fight with him. Then we’ll get the answer who is the better wrestler. In my opinion, I am the best wrestler in the lightweight division. I’ve taken down everybody. This is not a problem for me. This will be the same thing Saturday night.”

Before Gamrot can scramble with the Russian, he’ll have his hands full with knockout artist Rafael Fiziev. The two are scheduled to throw down this weekend (Sat., Sept. 23, 2023) at UFC Vegas 79 from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. If victorious, Gamrot may have a chance to find out for himself sooner than later.

Insomnia

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Slips, rips, and KO clips

Rafael Fiziev is such a sharp striker.

I know I’ve written this like ten different times, but people keep breaking the simple rule: don’t street fight a man throwing leg kicks!

Frozen in place and left vulnerable …

Random Land

A timely rescue.

Midnight Music: New Wave, 1978

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.