Gastelum hopes to fight at 170, but open to fight vs. Belfort

Kelvin Gastelum was famously picked last on The Ultimate Fighter 17, and ended up winning the whole thing. That was at middleweight, and he appeared to be a welterweight.

Next Gastelum tapped out Brian Melancon at 170, and split decisioned Rick Story. Then his lack of weight-management discipline began to catch up with him.

He missed weight by 1.75 pounds vs. Nico Musoke, but won a decision. Next he made weight, tapped Jake Ellenberger, and won a performance of the night.

Then he missed weight by an absurd 10 pounds vs. Tyron Woodley, and lost a split decision. An irate UFC president Dana White made him return to middleweight, where he stopped Nate Marquardt.

There was forgiveness, and he returned to welterweight, making weight, but losing a Split Decision to Neil Magny Decision in the Fight of the Night. Next fight, it was opponent Johny Hendricks who missed weight, and Gastelum won. Things at welterweight seemed secure.

Then at UFC 205, the greatest card in league history, Gastelum was so far off the contracted weight he never bothered to weigh in at all. The fight with Donald Cerrone was canceled. A now many-times irate White moved him back to middleweight vs. Tim Kennedy at UFC 206 on Saturday.

Gastelum put on a dominating performance, still hopes for the opportunity to return to 170, but sees potential at middleweight as well.

I think if I’m offered a fight that interests me at 185, I don’t see why I wouldn’t stay here,” he said at the post-fight press conference, as transcribed by Mike Bohn for MMAjunkie. “But I think 170 is my optimum weight class. I took this fight as a favor for the UFC. I knew they need a replacement for Rashad Evans, so I stepped in, and I heard they need another replacement in Brazil with Vitor Belfort, so if they want to make that happen, then I’ll do it. I’m willing to step up and do that as well.

I get too heavy outside of camp – that’s my problem. I like to eat my Mexican food, and it shouldn’t be that way. My whole camp is concentrated on losing the weight that I gained outside of camp. It just shouldn’t be that way. I was able to get away with it the last few fights, but the older I get, the harder it is to cut the weight. I think if I change my lifestyle a little bit and create a better lifestyle and do better with my weight outside of training camp, I think it would be a better benefit.