Mateusz Gamrot shared extensive thoughts on the Wojewódzki Kędzierski podcast comparing life in Poland versus the United States. He stated that the more he travels the world, the more he appreciates Poland, calling it cleaner, safer, and in many ways more modern than America. Gamrot highlighted specific examples, including outdated payment systems in U.S. restaurants and what he perceives as superficial social interactions in American culture. He noted that while the U.S. offers advantages for his sports career, everyday life is not necessarily better there, citing how his children preferred returning to their grandmother in Poland even while on vacation in Florida. Gamrot also mentioned that Americans are less hospitable, recounting instances where he was invited to barbecues but would have gone hungry if he hadn't brought his own food.
Mateusz Gamrot has gone on record with a frank comparison of life in Poland and the United States, coming down firmly in favor of his home country across several categories.
The 35-year-old lightweight, ranked tenth in the UFC's 155-pound division, shared his perspective on the Wojewódzki Kędzierski podcast. Carrying a professional record of 26-4-0 and training out of American Top Team, Gamrot said that the more time he spends traveling internationally, the more he values what Poland offers. He described his home country as cleaner, safer, and more modern than America in a number of practical respects.
Among his specific observations, Gamrot pointed to payment infrastructure in U.S. restaurants as a sign of America falling behind, and he characterized everyday social interactions there as superficial rather than genuine. On hospitality, he recounted being invited to barbecues in the United States only to find the food situation so sparse that he would have gone hungry without bringing his own.
Gamrot was clear, however, that his assessment is not absolute. He acknowledged the United States provides real professional advantages for a fighter at his level, which is why he continues to base his training there. But he drew a firm distinction between career opportunity and quality of daily life, arguing the two do not always go together.
Perhaps the most telling detail he offered was personal: during a family vacation in Florida, his children asked to return to their grandmother in Poland rather than continue the trip.
Why it matters
- Gamrot offers a rare candid window into how European fighters experience life while building careers in American MMA
- His comments reflect a broader tension top international fighters face between training access in the U.S. and personal roots abroad
- As a top-ten lightweight with strong grappling output, averaging more than five takedowns per fifteen minutes, Gamrot remains a relevant voice in one of the UFC's deepest divisions
