LAS VEGAS – Mateusz Gamrot thinks he can put a halt to Jalin Turner’s momentum on short notice.
Gamrot (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) replaced Dan Hooker to face Turner (13-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC 285 main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Turner is riding plenty of momentum with finishes of five straight opponents, but Gamrot likes the stylistic matchup.
“I think this is a great matchup for me,” Gamrot told reporters at the UFC 285 media day Wednesday. “He’s on a five-fight winning streak, (and) every fight he finished. He’s a high-level striker, very tall, very long reach, good guillotine choke when he defends takedowns – but I think that’s it. Many times, I fought with high-level strikers. Many times, I fought with taller guys than me. This is not a problem for me. I’m ready for his style.”
Turner boasts a 100 percent finishing rate, but also has been stopped in three of his five losses. Gamrot either sees an all-out war or a quick finish on his end.
“I see two versions: First version, this is going to be a war – three brutal rounds, because Jalin is a tough opponent. He’s good on the feet,” Gamrot said. “But the second version is I finish him quickly, maybe – first or second round, because he’s really good in the striking. I’m ready for his style, but the question is, is he ready for my style?”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.
