UFC on Fox 25 took place live that the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY Saturday night. In the main event of the evening, former middleweight champ Chris Weidman took on Ultimate Fighter winner Kelvin Gastelum. The fight was right in Weidman’s back yard, but at the same time, the former champ was on a three fight losing streak. Not to mention having suffered some seriously bad luck in New York thus far. Would he turn things around at UFC Long Island?
The main event started out with a feeling out process while the two fighters looked to find their range. Weidman landed a right just over a minute in and added a front kick behind it. Weidman then shot in at just over the three minute mark and secured the single leg takedown. Weidman soon had Gastelum’s back, and when Gastelum muscled his way up Weidman slammed him back down again — and then again. At that point, Weidman landed in side control, and looked for a kimura. While Weidman went for it, Gastelum was able to escape to his feet. He would later throw a high kick, but had trouble firing off any punches as Weidman continued to grab at his lead hand. Then with moments to go in the round Gastelum connected with a quick left off a combo that dropped Weidman. The “All American” latched on to Gastelum’s leg as Gastelum looked for the finish, but Weidman survived the round.
In the second, a recovered Weiman engaged in the clinch after landing a strike off a combo. That led to a takedown along the cage, with Weidman working to take the back. While Kelvin Gastelum would work back to the feet, a smart trip by Weidman dropped him back down. Another takedown put Weidman in Gastelum’s guard, where he stayed heavy and looked to land shots from the top. Weidman was able to add elbows into the mix. He’d finish the round still in control — a strong second round at UFC Long Island for Chris Weidman.
Kelvin Gastelum came out aggressive and swinging in the third, but a slip killed his momentum. Chris Weidman threw a high kick, and threatened a level change then came over the top with a punch that led to an couple of combos being fired off as Gastelum tried to cover up. A right caught Gastelum, and Weidman followed with a single leg that Gastelum managed to slip out of. He would subsequently land the double leg along the cage wall, but Gastelum, as he did throughout the first round, got right back up. A second dump of Gastelum saw Weidman look to take the back and again work for a kimura. When that didn’t happen Weidman deftly sunk in an arm triangle choke, stepping over into perfect position almost instantly. There was no question that Gastelum was either going to go out or tap, before long the tap came, and Weidman was back in the win column!
Saying he was back, Weidman called out middleweight champion Michael Bisping after the fight.
Chris Weidman def. Kelvin Gastelum by submission (arm triangle choke), Round 3, 3:45
