White: I don’t believe Gastelum can make 170

Kelvin Gastelum dominated Nate Marquardt at UFC 188, showing he can be a force at 185. However, his heart is fixed on returning to welterweight. UFC president Dana White does not share that dream.

He’s done nothing to prove he can make 170 pounds, and when he doesn’t make 170 pounds, it’s dangerous and it screws a lot of things up around here, said White at the event’s post-fight press conference as transcribed by MMAjunkie.

I love this kid. 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 tonight. 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.

While Gastelum fought amazingly, his argumentation was not.

Like he said, I haven’t done anything to prove it, said Gastelum. But actions speak louder than words, so now that he said I need to prove it, I’m going to prove it.

White was blunt.

That means no, said the UFC president. (At middleweight), he looked healthy, he didn’t look like he was going to die at the weigh-ins, and he looked great tonight. So if you’re me, or anybody who even remotely cares about the kid, where would you want him to fight At 185.

I get it, he wants to be at 170, but he’s going to have to do something to get to 170. Just training and whatever he’s been doing hasn’t been cutting it.’t.

He’s proven he can make it, but he looks like he’s about to die, and he’s got to go back and try one more time. It’s not healthy, it’s not good for him, and it’s definitely not good for us.