Dana White, Kelvin Gastelum explain why 'TUF 17' champ is going back to welterweight

Kelvin Gastelum

UFC President Dana White made it clear following Kelvin Gastelum TKO of Nate Marquardt at UFC 188 in June that he wants “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner to compete at middleweight for the foreseeable future.

“I love this kid,” White said at the post-event press conference in Mexico City. “He’s such a great fighter. I love how he goes in with a kid like Marquardt and stands right in the pocket with him and exchanges. His standup looked great. But I don’t believe he can make 170. I honestly don’t believe he can make 170.

“He’s going to have to get serious and get a nutritionist. He had to cut to make 185, and he came in right on the nose, so I am the furthest from confident that he is capable of making 170, no matter how much I like him, or how much he says he can do it, I don’t believe him.”

Just months after White’s statement, Gastelum (11-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is booked for a five-round welterweight main event fight opposite Matt Brown (20-13 MMA, 13-8 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 78 on Nov. 21, which takes place at Monterrey Arena in Monterrey, Mexico. The main card airs on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on the same channel and UFC Fight Pass.

White’s insistence that the 23-year-old fight at middleweight stemmed from Gastelum’s constant struggle to make the 170-pound limit. He missed weight twice during a five-fight stint in the division.

After he missed weight by a stunning nine pounds for a bout with Tyron Woodley at UFC 183 in January, White said Gastelum had experienced his final days at welterweight. He was forced to move up a division to fight Marquardt at UFC 188

Gastelum handily defeated Marquardt by second-round TKO and made a plea for another chance to compete in a division where he believes he has championship potential. White denied him at first, but Gastelum’s persistence created another opportunity.

“I love this fight and I like Kelvin Gastelum; I hope he’s already cutting weight for that fight,” White told MMAjunkie at a recent media event. “He wants to fight there, he assured us he would make the weight and he has a nutritionist with him now, so I trust that he’s going to do it.”

Gastelum is not the first athlete forced to chance weight classes by the UFC. It’s happened to others, such as UFC flyweight contender Henry Cejudo, in the past, but in time he rebuilt enough good faith to attempt to correct past mistakes.

Although Gastelum found his way back into White’s good graces, the pressure hasn’t yet been lifted off his shoulders. He must come through with his end of the bargain for the Nov. 21 showdown with Brown.

Gastelum said he’s confident all his issues are in the past and he doesn’t plan to disappoint his supporters and employers with another weight-related mishap.

“I was surprised (I got this fight) because I asked for the fight and at first I was told, ‘No,'” Gastelum said. “Then Dana White called me personally and yeah, I assured him I would make the 170 limit and I have a nutritionist working with me.

“I was pretty ecstatic to get this opportunity and pretty happy about what’s going on right now with my career. UFC is putting faith in me so I don’t plan on letting Dana and (UFC Chairman and CEO) Lorenzo (Fertitta) down now, or ever.”

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