Issue 165

March 2018

By taking on and laying out former 185lb champions, Kelvin Gastelum has shown he deserves to be talked about as a future king of the middleweight division.

*The following interview took place in March 2018*

Kelvin Gastelum has become something of a UFC veteran. In 13 Octagon outings, he has bounced from welterweight to middleweight, despite standing just 5'9" tall, and taken major scalps to surge into title contention.

Coming to prominence after being picked last of all contestants by coach Chael Sonnen on TUF 17, the 21-year-old kid fighting out of Yuma, a Mexican border town in Arizona, ended the series as the champion, defeating Uriah Hall as the underdog in the final of the middleweight tournament. That launched the southpaw onto the UFC roster, and after choosing to fight at welterweight but twice having issues making 170lb, he found a happier niche at 185.

There has since been an impressive run against leading names. His latest outing in November was a decisive first-round knockout of Michael Bisping in the first ever UFC event in mainland China, the British fighter replacing Anderson Silva, whom Gastelum is still gunning for.

That was the biggest win of his career, and one that reaffirmed his ability to compete with the best fighters in any weight class. In a period spanning just under three years, the former bounty hunter and standout wrestler has fought eight contests, five of which were against ex-champions: Bisping, Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort, Johny Hendricks and Tyron Woodley – with wins over three (though the KO of Belfort was later overturned to a no-contest).

Indeed, when Luke Rockhold got the call to fight Robert Whittaker for the middleweight crown, Gastelum put it out there on Twitter that it was he who arguably deserved the shot in Australia. As he put it, referring to Rockhold: “Choice A: Fought only once in 18 months against someone who wasn’t even competing in the UFC a year ago.” The alternative: “Choice B*: Fought 4 times in 12 months, 3 of them the main event... against former champions ranked in top 10 of the division. *Doesn’t have a modeling career.”

Though the rankings and Rockhold’s recent run as champion indicated UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby probably made the right choice, it was a decent dig and argument for consideration in the future. Currently ranked at number six of the UFC middleweight contenders, Gastelum joined Fighters Only to reveal how he has got to where he is after an eventful couple of years, assure us that his stature does nothing to dent his ambition to win UFC 185 gold, and that he maintains an aspiration to win the 170 crown, too.

Here he is, the man from Yuma, as his Twitter handle reads, on his mission for gold.

Q. Have you found a happier niche at 185lb? Recent results suggest it may be the right place for you. After all, you’ve always loved the pasta...

Look, us Mexicans love the dough! I love my mum’s cooking when I’m home in Yuma, Arizona and after the China fight with Michael Bisping, I must admit I did head straight back home over New Year and I’ve blown my cheeks out.

Q. Seriously though, you seem very effective and happier at middleweight, and it’s a division you are thriving in.

Look, I feel great. I can enjoy my life a little bit more, there’s no question about that. You know, taking away all those privileges is sometimes just not worth it. Obviously, another way of looking at it is that it is worth it, but since I don’t have to cut so much to 185, I enjoy myself for sure.

Q. Don’t they say a happy fighter is a better fighter?

That’s the way I feel. I’m a happy fighter, I’m in a better mood all the time. And I wouldn’t argue that it puts me in a better place mentally and physically. But I do have ambitions in both the middleweight and welterweight divisions.

Q. Could you bounce between the two weight divisions? How tough is it for you mentally and physically making 170?

Really tough. That’s what every camp for me is like at 170. I had no idea what it was like to do a correct diet or live that lifestyle. It was a difficulty for sure making the weight. But you learn every aspect as you mature in this sport. For me, now I’m fighting at middleweight, I walk around at 200-205lb. When I get in serious training mode, I start eating a lot better and get down to 195 or 190 and the rest will be a water weight cut. During fight week, we just eliminate a lot of components and that helps me get down. You kind of oat down another six or seven pounds.

Q. So, let’s get into your recent fight in Shanghai. Did you think Bisping was taking a huge risk?

Yes maybe, but I feel like he had nothing to lose. Looking back at it now it was a big mistake – for sure. But back then I was very excited and happy about the replacement being Bisping. He is a name for me on my record. Looking back at it, it was a mistake on his part. When you are slated to face Anderson Silva, how do you go from fighting the greatest of all time to fighting Joe Schmo?

I wouldn’t have let that happen, so I wanted the next best fight. Bisping was there, he took it, I did my job.

Q. You have always wanted to make an impact, create history. What did it mean to you to be the main event in UFC’s first show in mainland China?

It was pretty cool. I felt like I was privileged to be there headlining. Obviously, I wanted to fight Anderson Silva, but I definitely enjoyed it. These opportunities don’t come often. I definitely made the most of it and embraced it. I felt like it was a repetition of what we had done in Mexico. When I went there, as co-main event under Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt fighting for the heavyweight title in the first ever event in Mexico City, there was a special feel about. It was an atmosphere in the place, a time of newness and change, and we were just spreading the news and doing a lot of promotional work for it, and it spawned a lot of Mexican fighters.

I feel this event did the same in China – set a benchmark and time shows that events in new countries bring on the fighters there, and generates a new level of interest. That’s a great thing to be involved in for our sport.

Q. You have been campaigning hard in the middleweight division. Was it a weird choice in your view that Georges St-Pierre got a title shot after four years away?

Well, it is what it is. GSP was the undefeated champion for a long time and was coming back. The UFC likes to put on these big fights and he makes for a big fight. I feel it was a great occasion, that event. Look what happened that night. If Georges can come back and win a title and make money and then vacate it, that’s awesome. I feel like these things always even themselves out and I was honestly happy for Georges. I sent my congratulations to him. 

Q. What were you trying to achieve with your Tweets about Luke Rockhold’s title credentials?

I just wanted to lay out all the options. He would be the logical option, choice A, the logical choice. But then, choice B is not bad at all, either.

Q. Rockhold hit back, saying you’re a midget and he would slap you down quick. Surely this sets you up for a fight down the line?

I don’t know about setting up a fight between us, but if it happens, it happens. It’s funny, though.

Q. If not Rockhold, what’s next?

At the moment, I honestly have no idea. I haven’t spoken to my manager yet. Ultimately, I want the number one contender, whoever it may be at the time. I just want the fight that guarantees me the title fight.

Q. Despite being the shortest middleweight on the roster at 5'9", does your recent success prove size doesn’t matter?

It does matter, obviously. It’s a big advantage they have over me, but I also have some advantages over them. If I can work my advantages over theirs, that’s the goal. They say I’m too small at 185, but what about Mike Tyson as a heavyweight? He was faster and more explosive for his size. Right now, I feel the same.

Q. How important has Rafael Cordeiro and Kings MMA been to you in the latest phase of your career?

So many factors under Rafael. The training partners, the level of things

in the gym – training with Rafael at Kings MMA has really helped me a whole lot. I’m happy with the way things are right now. Things could always be better. I wish I could get a million dollars a fight, but things don’t happen that way.

Q. Your Twitter tells us you’re on a mission for gold. Will you be at 185 until you win the belt?

I will do whatever gets me to the title shot first. I’ve already been in talks with the UFC Institute about coming out there and doing all their studies so they can help me to get down to welterweight. Or we can fight the number one guy at middleweight. I’m just waiting to see what happens.

Q. What is your goal for 2018?

Anything could happen. My goal is to be fighting for the UFC middleweight or welterweight championship, but I’ll be in this business until I’m in my 30s. My hashtag is #OnAMission4Gold. I won’t stop until I get it.