Norman Parke Calls Out KSW Lightweight Champion Mateusz Gamrot
Norman Parke Calls Out KSW Lightweight Champion Mateusz Gamrot
Norman Parke has issued the challenge to KSW lightweight champion Mateusz Gamrot for KSW 39: Colosseum
After picking up a massive win last Friday night against Paul Redmond, you may have thought that Norman Parke would’ve taken a few weeks off for some well-deserved rest and relaxation—seemingly that's not on his agenda.
After edging a majority decision against Redmond at BAMMA 28 last week, Parke has already began putting the feelers out there for his next fight and he’s eyeing up a showdown with KSW lightweight champion, Mateusz Gamrot at KSW's history making KSW 39: Colosseum fight card.
Taking to social media this morning, Parke made his intentions fully clear to the world and he threw out the challenge to the undefeated KSW lightweight champion.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/norman_parke/status/836536328045092864" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
We then reached out to Parke regarding the fight and he confirmed his interest to face Gamrot on the KSW 39 colosseum card.
“I want to fight him [Gamrot] because they contacted me about fighting him before my fight on BAMMA last weekend,” Parke said. “He is their lightweight champion and even though he is undefeated I really question his heart in a real fight. Stylistically, I think we match up well. He's more of a wrestler grappler and I think we’d put on a good show for the fans.”
Parke then explained why it was this fight in particular that appealed to him and that the only one person would be making a decision regarding his future—himself.
“I think it's a great next step for me because he is undefeated and it will be on a huge show in Poland with over 50,000 people in the stadium,” Parke said. “People keep talking to me about getting wins to go back to the UFC, but seriously that is not on my mind. For me, this is about doing whatever the f*ck I want and I can fight wherever I want. I'm the boss now no one else.
“This can be a big money fight because I'm the biggest name for him. Something like this will also give me the drive and motivation I need to get back to where I was when I competed in the UFC. If this fight goes ahead then I will totally isolate myself and go away training, I know in my mind I have more to offer because I believe in myself, and that's all that matters. I challenge to even fight him without the belt on the line because I truly don't care about any belt.”
Gamrot (12-0) won the vacant KSW lightweight title back in May last year when he defeated the Frenchman Mansour Barnaoui via a unanimous decision. He has since defended the belt once last October when he defeated the Brazilian veteran Renato Gomes with a leglock submission in the second round at KSW 36.
Parke would head into the fight looking to snap the Polish fighter’s winning streak of twelve, but he himself has been in good form since his departure from the UFC. The Northern Irishman made his return to action following his UFC run last October when he beat Englishman Andrew Fisher at ACB 47 inn Glasgow, Scotland.
He then last Friday notched up his second win in a row with his majority draw victory over Paul Redmond, though a slight mishap with his weigh-in meant he came in 0.8 of a pound over the 155-pounds championship weight and thus missed out on the opportunity to be crowned the BAMMA lightweight champion.
FloCombat reached out to KSW for official comment on the fight coming together and we were informed that the “two parties were in talks, but that other options were also being discussed” with regards to Gamrot’s opponent.
The KSW 39: Colosseum card is set to take place on May 27 and will be one of the biggest MMA shows ever held in Europe with 50,000 spectators expected to attend.
The card so far features a whole host of title fights and big names from the Polish mixed martial arts scene and is currently expected to be headlined by a champion vs champion showdown between KSW welterweight champion Borys Mankowski taking on KSW middleweight champion Mamed Khalidov who will fight at a catchweight of 181-pounds.
Borys Mańkowski vs. Mamed Khalidov – 181lbs catchweight
Marcin Różalski vs. F. Rodrigues Jr. – for KSW heavyweight title
Tomasz Narkun vs. Marcin Wójcik – for KSW light heavyweight title
Marcin Wrzosek vs. K. Koike Erbst – for KSW featherweight title
Ariane Lipski vs. Diana Belbiţă - for KSW flyweight title
Mateusz Gamrot vs. TBA – for KSW lightweight title
Paweł Rak vs. Robert Burneika
Karol Bedorf vs. Michał Kita 265 lbs
M. Pudzianowski vs. TBA
After edging a majority decision against Redmond at BAMMA 28 last week, Parke has already began putting the feelers out there for his next fight and he’s eyeing up a showdown with KSW lightweight champion, Mateusz Gamrot at KSW's history making KSW 39: Colosseum fight card.
Taking to social media this morning, Parke made his intentions fully clear to the world and he threw out the challenge to the undefeated KSW lightweight champion.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/norman_parke/status/836536328045092864" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
We then reached out to Parke regarding the fight and he confirmed his interest to face Gamrot on the KSW 39 colosseum card.
“I want to fight him [Gamrot] because they contacted me about fighting him before my fight on BAMMA last weekend,” Parke said. “He is their lightweight champion and even though he is undefeated I really question his heart in a real fight. Stylistically, I think we match up well. He's more of a wrestler grappler and I think we’d put on a good show for the fans.”
Parke then explained why it was this fight in particular that appealed to him and that the only one person would be making a decision regarding his future—himself.
“I think it's a great next step for me because he is undefeated and it will be on a huge show in Poland with over 50,000 people in the stadium,” Parke said. “People keep talking to me about getting wins to go back to the UFC, but seriously that is not on my mind. For me, this is about doing whatever the f*ck I want and I can fight wherever I want. I'm the boss now no one else.
“This can be a big money fight because I'm the biggest name for him. Something like this will also give me the drive and motivation I need to get back to where I was when I competed in the UFC. If this fight goes ahead then I will totally isolate myself and go away training, I know in my mind I have more to offer because I believe in myself, and that's all that matters. I challenge to even fight him without the belt on the line because I truly don't care about any belt.”
Gamrot (12-0) won the vacant KSW lightweight title back in May last year when he defeated the Frenchman Mansour Barnaoui via a unanimous decision. He has since defended the belt once last October when he defeated the Brazilian veteran Renato Gomes with a leglock submission in the second round at KSW 36.
Parke would head into the fight looking to snap the Polish fighter’s winning streak of twelve, but he himself has been in good form since his departure from the UFC. The Northern Irishman made his return to action following his UFC run last October when he beat Englishman Andrew Fisher at ACB 47 inn Glasgow, Scotland.
He then last Friday notched up his second win in a row with his majority draw victory over Paul Redmond, though a slight mishap with his weigh-in meant he came in 0.8 of a pound over the 155-pounds championship weight and thus missed out on the opportunity to be crowned the BAMMA lightweight champion.
FloCombat reached out to KSW for official comment on the fight coming together and we were informed that the “two parties were in talks, but that other options were also being discussed” with regards to Gamrot’s opponent.
The KSW 39: Colosseum card is set to take place on May 27 and will be one of the biggest MMA shows ever held in Europe with 50,000 spectators expected to attend.
The card so far features a whole host of title fights and big names from the Polish mixed martial arts scene and is currently expected to be headlined by a champion vs champion showdown between KSW welterweight champion Borys Mankowski taking on KSW middleweight champion Mamed Khalidov who will fight at a catchweight of 181-pounds.
KSW 39 Fight Card (as it stands)
Borys Mańkowski vs. Mamed Khalidov – 181lbs catchweight
Marcin Różalski vs. F. Rodrigues Jr. – for KSW heavyweight title
Tomasz Narkun vs. Marcin Wójcik – for KSW light heavyweight title
Marcin Wrzosek vs. K. Koike Erbst – for KSW featherweight title
Ariane Lipski vs. Diana Belbiţă - for KSW flyweight title
Mateusz Gamrot vs. TBA – for KSW lightweight title
Paweł Rak vs. Robert Burneika
Karol Bedorf vs. Michał Kita 265 lbs
M. Pudzianowski vs. TBA