Gastelum proves he belongs among UFC’s best welterweights
The last time Kelvin Gastelum fought in Las Vegas, he essentially was seen as little more than the undersized guy Uriah Hall was going to knock out in the championship bout for Season 17 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in April 2013.
Even after Gastelum, a true welterweight fighting at middleweight on “TUF,” upset one of the most hyped fighters in the show’s history, he still wasn’t the main story.
Instead of crediting Gastelum, the prevailing narrative was about what went wrong for Hall.
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White even hinted that Hall lost in part because he didn’t want to hurt Gastelum, whom he had lived with in the house during filming of the show.
Less than two years later, Gastelum is on the verge of title contention in the welterweight division and can further solidify himself when he fights Tyron Woodley at UFC 183 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden.
Gastelum, 23, remembers hearing criticism after his victory over Hall and said it has motivated him.
“After winning that fight, I had a little chip on my shoulder,” he said. “People still said it was a fluke. There was a whole thing that he was just being too nice and didn’t want to hurt me or whatever. I wanted to prove to everyone that it wasn’t a fluke and I did deserve that. I worked hard for that, and I wanted to not only prove people wrong but prove it to myself that I belong with the best in the world.
“It also just gave me more confidence that I can compete at this level.”
He has done more than that. Gastelum dropped from 185 pounds to his more natural fighting weight of 170 after the show and has won all four of his fights in the division to get into the top 10.
The rapid ascension surprised even Gastelum, but he insists he’s ready for a top-five opponent such as Woodley, a two-time All-America wrestler at Missouri.
“It has happened fast, but I just take it as everything comes,” Gastelum said. “The UFC doesn’t offer these opportunities to everybody. As soon as they offer these opportunities, I’ll take them and be ready to take advantage.”
Woodley was aware of Gastelum’s potential, but first truly took notice when they competed at UFC 171 in April 2014.
He said Gastelum is part of a new breed of fighters, particularly in the welterweight division, who have had the advantage of watching the older generation evolve.
“Kelvin never came from out of nowhere,” Woodley said. “I’ve been watching him and Gunnar Nelson and Brandon Thatch. You’re an idiot if you don’t watch these young bucks that are coming up blazing and trying to get after it. Those guys watched us and the people before us and saw what we did wrong and learned.
“I’ve been watching these young guys coming up, and I’ve been very aware of Kelvin and paying attention not only as a fan but also as a guy just one or two fights away from this tier.”
Now Gastelum has arrived and is ready to take another step forward.
A state champion wrestler at Cibola High School in his native Yuma, Ariz., Gastelum has won two of his five fights in the UFC by submission as he continues to expand his skill set.
He also won three fights by knockout in compiling a 5-0 record as a pro before being chosen for “TUF.”
While Woodley will be his most accomplished opponent, Gastelum sees it as the next logical step in his career.
“I’m always looking to go to bigger and better things,” he said. “This is the biggest fight of my life just like the last one. Every fight is getting bigger. This time is no different. I’m taking the same approach every time, and I feel great mentally and physically. It’s been a good week, just doing what I do and concentrating on that.
“The main focus has been on (main event fighters) Anderson (Silva) and Nick (Diaz), and that’s fine with me. It’s a huge event, and there will be a lot of eyes on this card because of those names. I’ll get my time to shine soon.”
Woodley, a 32-year-old former Strikeforce champion, has more to lose on Saturday than Gastelum. Woodley has won three of his past four fights, but the loss was in a No. 1 contender bout against Rory MacDonald in June. Another loss could put him well back in a crowded field of 170-pound contenders.
He’s certainly not looking past Gastelum, the newcomer in that group.
“For me, this guy is a worthy opponent,” Woodley said. “He brings problems to anyone in the division. He’s hungry; he’s youthful. I remember being an undefeated 10-0 guy that wanted to knock off the big names, so I know how dangerous that passion is, and that made me excited and pumped up to train for this.”
The fight is part of the pay-per-view card that begins at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.
