Kelvin Gastelum removed from UFC 205 bout against Donald Cerrone
NEW YORK — UFC president Dana White expressed delight during Thursday’s UFC 205 news conference over the fact the historic event had been able to stay intact with no injuries or withdrawals since the card was announced.
He may have spoken too soon.
The event lost a main card bout on Friday morning when Kelvin Gastelum announced he wouldn’t be able to make weight and would be unable to fight Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
“I apologize 2 Cowboy,” Gastelum wrote on Twitter. “(You’re) a legend. God bless.”
I will not be fighting @Cowboycerrone 2morrow on account that I couldn't make the wght limit. I apologize 2 cowboy ure a legend. God bless.
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) November 11, 2016
Gastelum has had issues making the welterweight limit in the past, missing once in 2014 and once in 2015. He moved up to middleweight for one fight in 2015, but dropped back down for his last two fights as he believed he had solved his weight-cutting issues.
Apparently not.
“I’m sorry to My team, my friends and the (people) that genuinely care for me,” he wrote. “Extremely dissapointed I will have to reevaluate things in my life.No one is perfect. We all have bad days but I promise it will not happen again. I will comeback stronger like I have before. Until next time.”
I'm sorry to My team, my friends and the ppl that genuinely care for me. Extremely dissapointed I will have to reevaluate things in my life.
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) November 11, 2016
No one is perfect. We all have bad days but I promise it will not happen again. I will comeback stronger like I have before. Until next time
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) November 11, 2016
Cerrone will not compete on the card. UFC officials announced he would still get his show money for the event.
There has been no announcement as to whether a preliminary card fight will be moved to the main card to replace the bout.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.