UFC 224's Kelvin Gastelum explains why he's back to Brazil after swearing it off
By Steven Marrocco, Ken Hathaway May 2, 2018 5:10 pm
By Steven Marrocco and Ken Hathaway | May 2, 2018 5:10 pm
LOS ANGELES – UFC middleweight standout Kelvin Gastelum knows he's going back on his word by fighting in Brazil. But given his choices, he feels comfortable with returning.
"They gave me two options – fight in Chile (at UFC Fight Night 129) or fight in Brazil," Gastelum (14-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) told reporters, including MMAjunkie, at a media day in support of his meeting with Ronaldo Souza (25-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) at UFC 224, which takes place May 12 at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro and airs live on pay-per-view.
Although Gastelum encountered trouble the last time he fought in Brazil, failing a post-fight drug test for marijuana and receiving a three-month suspension from USADA, he said he never lost his affinity for the country's culture.
Plus, the opportunity to face Souza, a former Strikeforce champion and UFC contender, was more compelling than the other opponent offered by the UFC.
Gastelum, the No. 8 ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA middleweight rankings, didn't identify the mystery foe. But compared to the opponent in Chile, he thought Souza in Brazil was a much better option.
"I've been to Chile, and it's nice, but I just think Rio's a little better," Gastelum. "I laid out the options, and when I got offered the fights, I felt like this was a quicker route to get a title shot."
Gastelum wasn't happy when a knockout victory over ex-champ Michael Bisping didn't get him a title shot, but a match with Souza, a perennial contender, was a good consolation.
Souza was briefly on the cusp of a title shot when he was offered a title fight against now-former champ Luke Rockhold at UFC 199. A pending knee surgery forced the Brazilian submission artist to decline the fight, and Bisping stepped in to upset Rockhold for the title.
Since that fateful turn, Souza has gone 1-2 in the octagon, most recently knocking out Derek Brunson with a first-round head kick.
"You can only prepare and strategize the best you can, and I feel like I've done that," Gastelum said of Souza's skills. "I feel like I'm prepared to the best of my abilities for what he brings to the table."
Gastelum once thought of the middleweight division as only a brief stopover after multiple issues on the scale at welterweight. But he's now settled into the idea of fighting at 185 pounds because he's so successful.
"Eventually, I'm going to be fighting for that title at middleweight, which is crazy," he said. "But yeah, in my eyes, in the back of my head – way in the back of my head – I still have welterweight in mind."
A close decision loss to current welterweight champ Tyron Woodley is one of the main reasons Gastelum can't let go of fighting at 170 pounds. He believes with the right preparation, he won't have any issues with making weight and wants another shot.
"That fight is like a splinter in my heart," he said. "I kind of want to get that fight back – make the weight, make it right. In a lot of people's eyes, including myself, I won that fight."
For more on UFC 224, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
Mar 11, 2017; Fortazela, Brazil, USA; Kelvin Gastelum (blue gloves) defeats Vitor Belfort (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Centro de Formacao Olimpica de Fortaleza. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 22, 2017; Long Island, NY, USA; Chris Weidman (red gloves) fights Kelvin Gastelum during UFC Fight Night at Nassau Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Fortazela, Brazil, USA; Kelvin Gastelum (blue gloves) before his fight against Vitor Belfort (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Centro de Formacao Olimpica de Fortaleza. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Fortazela, Brazil, USA; Kelvin Gastelum (blue gloves) fights Vitor Belfort (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Centro de Formacao Olimpica de Fortaleza. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2016; Toronto, ON, CAN; Tim Kennedy (red gloves) fights Kelvin Gastelum (blue gloves) during UFC 206 at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2016; Toronto, ON, CAN; Kelvin Gastelum (blue gloves) reacts to the fight with Tim Kennedy (red gloves) during UFC 206 at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
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