Kelvin Gastelum: Why Fight Island bouts are not outdoors
“Although fans would have liked to have seen it … and I would have liked to have seen it …”
I thought based on an Octagon on the beach used for promotional purposes, that the Fight Island fights might well be held outdoors, by the ocean. That was a dumbass assumption, as I’ve been to the UAE. The temperature on Yas Beach right now range from 108 to 113 degrees, with a humidity of 25% to 50%. Dana sitting in a Gilligan’s Island set full of palm trees with fights in a cage was just too fun an image to think rationally about.
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Abu Dhabi and even more so Dubai are super, super fun places, but not to fight outside in, as Kelvin Gastelum explained in a recent pre-fight media event.
“It’s not the right conditions,” said Gastelum. “It’s way too hot. There’s too much mist in the air, I don’t know what’s in the air there, but the conditions to fight by the beach, in the open air, is … not right.”
“Although fans would have liked to have seen it … and I would have liked to have seen it — I love being by the beach — But to fight in it? It’s not the right conditions.”
With a loss, Gastelum will be on a three-fight losing streak. But Gastelum, ranked #7 at middleweight to Hermansson’s #6, aims for a win and then a march toward a title shot.
“I’m always on that mindset … for gold,” said Gastelum. “Always thinking about the path to take me to the title. [And] first stop on the list is Jack Hermansson.”
The fights will be held in the bespoke, air-conditioned, Flash Forum, with no audience.
h/t Alan Dawson for MSN
