Jalin Turner is one of the hottest lightweight fighters in the UFC. Since his two losses against Vicente Luque and Matt Frevola, Turner has won 5 fights in a row. Many thought Brad Riddell would beat him in his last fight at UFC 276. But Turner surprised everyone and defeated Riddell via submission within a minute. He will face Mateusz Gamrot in the UFC 285 main card.
Mateusz Gamrot was not the opponent Jalin Turner was going to face at UFC 285. He was originally set to take on the veteran lightweight fighter, Dan Hooker. However, Hooker ended up injuring his hand during the fight camp and Gamrot stepped in as a short-notice replacement. However, some may argue that it is a much more intriguing match-up.
Top 10 lightweights turn up the heat 🔥@Gamer_MMA and @JalinTurner ready to clash Saturday night!
[ #UFC285 | March 4th | Live on ESPN+ PPV: https://t.co/twBcYMJ3ve ] pic.twitter.com/qbo8x1ac2Y
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2023
Mateusz Gamrot defeated Arman Tsarukyan in one of the best fights of 2022. It earned him the opportunity to fight Beneil Dariush at UFC 280. However, Gamrot fell short against Dariush and ended up losing the bout via a unanimous decision. So this bout presents him an opportunity to get back to winning ways.
UFC 285: Mateusz Gamrot vs Jalin Turner, Stats
| Stats | Mateusz Gamrot | Jalin Turner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | 13 |
| Losses | 2 | 5 |
| Height | 1.78 m | 1.91 m |
| Division | Lightweight | Lightweight |
| Reach | 179.1 cm | 195.6 cm |
| Age | 32 | 27 |
Gamrot vs Turner: Fight Breakdown
The lightweight division has seen a major overhaul in recent times. Long gone are the days when the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Tony Ferguson, and Conor McGregor reigned over the weight class. As a result, Jalin Turner is currently occupying the 10th spot in the division. Gamrot, on the other hand, is the 7th-ranked fighter. So the winner of this bout will definitely become a top prospect to challenge for the title in the immediate future.
Turner has 9 KO/TKOs and 4 submissions in his career. It means the 27-year-old has a 100% finishing rate in his career so far. As per UFC stats, Turner is currently averaging 6.48 strikes per minute. However, Turner is also absorbing at a rate of 4.31 strikes per minute as well. At the same time, Jalin also has decent grappling with 1.14 takedowns per fight. It just proves Turner does not afford his opponents much breathing space.
But his opponent, Mateusz Gamrot, has much better grappling skills than Turner. With an insane average of 4.66 takedowns per fight, Gamrot’s wrestling has been relentless! Although his striking leaves a lot to be desired, Gamrot is primarily a wrestler and would be looking to grapple the California native. But, Turner has never been submitted in his career.
Mateusz Gamrot has an elite chin and has never been knocked out in his career. His only two losses have come via judges’ decisions. For Gamrot to win the bout, he has to take the bout to the ground. Judging by the trajectory of his career, it looks like Gamrot will take the fight on the mat at one point or the other in the fight. Can Turner survive it? Only time will tell. But, as things stand, Gamrot is the favorite heading into the fight.
