Kristoff Grambow is raring to go ahead of his contest this Saturday at UKFC 19 against Diogo Ramos and is eager to show the improvements since his last outing.
Standing at (4-0), Grambow has cruised his way through the amateur scene, picking up three convincing decisions and accumulating his first stoppage win in his most recent outing.
The Rep’s MMA fighter will be hopeful of continuing the clean run of momentum on Saturday night. We had the pleasure of speaking with Grambow to get his pre-fight thoughts.
UKFC 19 takes place on Saturday, May 14th, at the Riva Showback in Preston.
Interview With Kristoff Grambow
Another UKFC fight week for you, Kristoff. This will be your fifth time competing under the show since 2019 and your fifth fight overall. How different do these fight weeks feel now as opposed to your first meeting with Jamie-Lee Baldwin many moons ago? What’s changed?
UKFC has been a great home to me. It’s widely regarded as the best regional show in the UK, and for a good reason. Matchmaking is up there will the best, along with the production and professional staff. This is the kind of promotion I want to be a part of. It will push me to become the best version of myself in preparation for the professional ranks. There’s something special about fight week, the culmination of months of hard work coming together. Not much has changed. I’ve conducted myself like a professional from day one, and I still continue to do so, leaving no stone unturned in my preparation.
Regarding your preparation, are you someone who prepares in a certain way depending on the opposition’s style and the threats they offer, or is your preparation the same each camp in essentially just working on your own game and not worrying about the opponent?
At an amateur level, opponents can change from fight to fight. Throughout my preparation, I focus on myself and maximising my strengths. I’ve definitely got a few weapons picked out for my opponent, but the focus remains on myself, UKFC matchmakers have tested me against multiple styles so far, and I’m looking forward to the next one, using my well-rounded game to secure the W.
Kristoff Grambow’s Journey Into MMA
I like to ask those I haven’t spoken with before about their journey/background into the sport? How did you find MMA?
I started boxing around 15 and then made the transition into MMA through a friend’s recommendation. met some great guys and really enjoyed the opportunities to learn and progress, also the chance to develop a unique style. “The Apprentice” nickname came as a result of working closely with Jordan Chester being coachable and adaptable, learning from the best teammates and coaches, and adding to my own game.
Many around the scene are touting you as the next big prospect? How does that make you feel? Does it add extra pressure to go out and perform each time, or is it a tag you welcome?
Being touted as the next big prospect fuels me massively, and it’s a tag I welcome. It’s definitely nice to hear, but it still doesn’t change much. I’m going in there each time to get business handled and put on a performance. I like to let my performances to speak for themselves. Ultimately I’ve flown under the radar for a while now, and my game is largely unseen.
Support
Can we expect to see big support for you on Saturday night? How many do you have attending to get behind you? It must be a great feeling having people give up their nights to come and watch you chase your dreams. It’s not a feeling everyone gets the privilege of experiencing. Sum up what that means to you?
I’m originally from Gibraltar, but being part of Reps MMA. I feel like I have been accepted as a “home fighter” fighting out of Reps MMA. I have the best of both worlds, to be honest, with many locals and teammates supporting me on the night as well as many Gibraltarians supporting me via PPV, family and friends making the trip up to Preston for the event. The support all around feels great, and I’m really grateful for it all.
This will also be your opponent Diogo Ramos’s fifth fight under the UKFC banner, and I’m sure it’s someone who you’ve managed to take a look at competing on the same show. Tells us your thoughts on this matchup as a whole, how you feel it suits you, and what you need to be cautious of in there on Saturday night?
Diogo fights out of Knuckleheads MMA, a team which do not look for easy fights. Diogo was offered to a lot of guys, but for one reason or another, they didn’t want it. I appreciate him stepping up. The matchup excites me. Any experience in that cage is money in the bank at this stage. Looking forward to it.
Kristoff Grambow Talks 2022 Plans
All goes well on Saturday night, and you walk away with the win and unharmed. Can we expect to see you back in there this year, or have you not thought about what’s next yet?
I have not really given much thought to what’s. Next, this matchup is exciting enough, and I’m not looking past it. My loyalty to the promotion and the performances I’ve offered so far will speak for themselves.
Sell it to us. It’s been six months since we’ve last seen you in the Octagon. Just how much better can somebody get in that time, and what can we expect from Kristoff Grambow?
I don’t know how much better you can get in 6 months, but I know if I was facing Kristoff Grambow from UKFC17 this Saturday, he would struggle to make it out of the first round.
Lastly, how does Saturday night unfold? Give us all an official fight prediction?
Wherever the fight goes, I’ll be ready to control and dominate it, securing the W.
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Featured image credits to UKFC