Could Mateusz Gamrot have tried to wait a bit until the UFC offered him someone higher in the lightweight rankings? He could have. He probably wouldn't get a title fight, even an interim one, but he might get an opponent higher in the rankings than 11th Dan Hooker. However, waiting like that is not the Pole's style, who has already proven it by taking an uncomfortable fight with Rafael dos Anjos (32-16), which didn't really give him anything except to keep him active.
Gamrot had one plan. To win, and to do it ahead of time.
“Gamer” himself emphasized before the fight with the Australian that his goal would be an impressive victory before the time, because only such a victory could give him a fight for the title. The proper one with Dagestani Islam Makhachev (26-1) or an interim one with Armenian Arman Tsarukyan (22-3), if the champion did not fight in the next few months.
Of course, first they had to beat Hooker. This wasn't going to be an easy task, because although the experienced Australian had already lost four out of five fights, he had recently won by knockout against Claudio Puelles from Peru (12-4) and surprisingly against American Jalin Turner (14-8) thanks to a split decision. Besides, the fight with the Pole was already his 22nd in the UFC, so he had seen it all in the octagon.
Hooker was looking for an exchange of blows and found one
The first round already showed that there would be no calculations here. Both greeted with the boards after the opponent's blows. First Hooker, whom Gamrot brilliantly countered with a straight jab and was then a step away from finishing the fight with blows on the ground. However, the New Zealander survived, and in the end he himself sent the Pole to the boards, although the latter defended himself with wrestling.
The second round saw long ground control by the Pole, who was lurking for a submission. He even tried to pick his opponent's head for a triangle with his hands, but to no avail. Hooker even managed to raise the fight to his preferred standing position, and he countered Gamrot's subsequent takedown attempts, even “paying” him a few elbows.
The key, however, was the last, third fight. Winning it gave peace, at least to Gamrot. The Pole was already tired, as was his opponent. But when you are very tired, it is easier to fight in the standing position, not to take down, and it was visible. Our representative tried his trademark takedowns behind one leg, but Hooker defended well. In the standing position, it was the New Zealander who was more aggressive, although they landed with similar frequency.
The judges were not unanimous, but it was bad news for Gamrot
So everything was in the hands of the judges. The fight was even, the Pole definitely had the advantage on the ground, although Hooker defended more than one takedown attempt and did not let Gamrot finish the fight before the time. When the decision was announced, Gamrot raised his hand. It seemed that he was convinced that he would win. Unfortunately, in the eyes of two of the three judges, the New Zealander was better and it was he who won by a split decision (2x 29-28, 28-29). This is his third triumph in a row, which will significantly improve his ranking position. As for the Pole, his series of three victories has been interrupted and he will certainly fall in the lightweight ranking (he was in fifth place). What is worse, his road to the championship belt has become much longer. Even if the verdict granting him victory would also hold.