Latest news with #TopTeam
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 68: Mateusz Gamrot explains struggle to land ranked opposition
UFC on ESPN 68: Mateusz Gamrot explains struggle to land ranked opposition Mateusz Gamrot had no choice, but to fight out the UFC official rankings. Show Caption Hide Caption Mateusz Gamrot wants to 'ruin' Ludovit Klein's record statistics UFC on ESPN 68's Mateusz Gamrot spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his lightweight bout vs. Ludovit Klein on Saturday in Las Vegas. LAS VEGAS – Mateusz Gamrot finds himself nearing the top five of the UFC official rankings, yet he's fighting an unranked opponent this weekend. Gamrot (24-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) takes on Ludovit Klein (23-4-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 68 (ESPN, ESPN+) – which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex. Gamrot admits it's not the fight he wanted, as he was hoping for someone in the rankings. However, he basically had no choice, as he spent months trying to get matched up with ranked opposition. "This was like hard to get the opponent," Gamrot said at Wednesday's media day. "I came to Florida in January. I hope that I get to fight soon, but this moment, like everyone was booked from the ranking, and I put pressure on UFC like, 'Ok, guys. If everyone is busy, give me guys without ranking. It doesn't matter to me. I want to stay active this year. I want to fight.' And that's why I'm fighting Ludovit Klein today." Gamrot, 34, is coming off a split decision loss to Dan Hooker last August in Australia. Prior to the defeat, he was on a three-fight winning streak and 7-1 in his last eight fights. The American Top Team fighter feels success in the UFC is not just winning, but also putting on a show. That's why he intends to finish Klein come Saturday. "Of course, it's better if you get guys from the rankings, and you beat them, and you move up in the ranking, but I know the most important for the UFC is to put on good performances in the cage," Gamrot said. "It doesn't matter if it's against guys in the ranking or no ranking. If you finish this guy, your positions move up. This is my mindset and my career is a fantastic journey."
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Daniel Cormier concerned about Bo Nickal after first loss for one main reason
Daniel Cormier concerned about Bo Nickal after first loss for one main reason Daniel Cormier thinks UFC on ESPN 67 was a rude awakening for Bo Nickal. Nickal (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) suffered his first career loss when he was finished by Reinier de Ridder in Saturday's UFC on ESPN 67 co-main event at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The standout wrestler added on mass for this training camp, which resulted in a big weight cut to make the non-title middleweight limit of 186 pounds. Cormier realized that Nickal struggled with De Ridder's physicality and might not be ready for the upper echelon of the division just yet. "Do you think subconsciously Bo Nickal was doing the weight thing because he was very concerned about Reiner de Ridder's size?" Cormier said on "Good Guy/Bad Guy" with Chael Sonnen. "Because RDR is a big dude. Especially when they walked out there, RDR was big, he was just walking him down. And honestly, Chael, he made Bo look like a guy that isn't that good and not ready for the highest level of competition." Many have reveled in Nickal's loss. Since signing with the UFC in 2022, Nickal has not been short on confidence, continuously trashing No. 1 contender Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling. While Cormier doesn't see Nickal beating Chimaev, he clarified some of the American Top Team prospect's comments. "Doesn't it suck, though, at how much joy people seem to be taking from this?" Cormier said. "It's almost like they want the athlete to be confident, they want the athlete to be sure, but then when the athlete's sure, it's like, 'Oh he's too arrogant.' Maybe Bo's going a little far talking about Chimaev. Here's what he never said, though: He never said he could beat Khamzat Chimaev in a fight. He said in a wrestling match, he would beat Khamzat Chimaev and still to this day, I believe that. "He never said he would beat Khamzat Chimaev. He can't beat Khamzat Chimaev. That was never a thing, at least not now. I remember when I was fighting Stipe Miocic, we were going to try to get Bo Nickal to sign with Zinkin Entertainment, so he came on that recruitment trip. That was 2019. If anything is worrisome to me, it's that he hasn't developed further in terms of his skillset. That, to me, is what's concerning a little bit."
