Kelvin Gastelum continues to have issues on the scale.
Gastelum (18-9 MMA, 12-9 UFC) is scheduled to face Daniel Rodriguez (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in a welterweight bout on Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6 (ABC/ESPN/ESPN+) main card at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Gastelum, who moved up to middleweight after missing weight twice at 170 pounds, opted to move back down to welterweight in his most recent fight. He successfully made weight, but was submitted by Sean Brady in December.
However, Gastelum admitted he’s having difficulties cutting down to welterweight for his fight against Rodriguez, in what he described as a rough training camp.
“To be honest, this has been a pretty hard training camp,” Gastelum said during Thursday’s UFC on ABC 6 media day (h/t MMA Crazy). “There’s a lot of things that went on behind the scenes that a lot of people don’t know, don’t get to see, but it’s been pretty hard to get my weight down and get down to weight this time around – harder than last time.
“… I am pretty worried this week, but we’re going to talk with the manager and come up with the best game plan. But, I think we’re in for a rough weight cut.”
Rodriguez said he was contacted by the UFC about Gastelum’s weight struggles and he wasn’t pleased about it.
“Actually, the matchmakers reached out and I tried to get it to a catchweight, but he must be having such a bad fight camp that he can’t even make 180,” Rodriguez said. “I’m currently 179 pounds, so I have to put weight back on.
“It’s been 13 weeks since I found out about this fight. I’m sure he has, too. So the fact that he’s saying that he’s having a bad fight camp (for the weight cut) makes no sense. I feel like it’s lack of discipline. I don’t know if he’s having a bad fight camp or he’s just being lazy and doesn’t want to make the weight.”
Rodriguez said he accepted to now have his fight against Gastelum take place at middleweight. Having lost two straight, Rodriguez thinks he was in no position to decline the weight change.
“I already agreed to 185,” Rodriguez said. “I’m so invested in this fight. It put me in a really tough spot. I need this fight to happen. It’s been such a long fight camp and I did agree to take a percentage of his purse, which is only fair.
“I just felt like 180 would have been a good weight, but it’s not my first time coming through for the company, and I want the UFC to know that I’m that guy that’s going to make the sacrifices even if it’s not in my favor. … In the sense of being a professional, I feel like I lost a little respect for the guy.”
Late afternoon Thursday in Saudi Arabia, Gastelum posted on social media that he wanted the fight at 175 pounds, but Rodriguez countered with middleweight.
Regardless of how it transpired down the stretch, they signed for 170 pounds, and though the UFC hasn’t made a formal announcement – the bout is listed as welterweight at UFC.com – it appears middleweight indeed is the division in which the fight will take place.
Lots of moving parts behind scenes.
Gastelum offered to fight at 175lbs catch weight but was rejected by the
Rodriguez camp and they opted for 185 instead.
Gastelum camp agreed.
Mission stays the same. #War https://t.co/8pCISvFIOJ— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) June 20, 2024
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.
