The co-main event at UFC Fight Island 2 pitted the number six ranked middleweight Jack Hermansson against the number seven ranked Kelvin Gastelum. This fight could have easily headlined its own card, but the UFC knew placing Gastelum vs. Hermansson before the main event’s flyweight title fight was the appetizer that fans needed before Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez took center stage.
Hermansson and Gastelum had both traveled to Yas Island with the hopes of reminding themselves of how sweet the taste of victory really is. Their paths led them to one another, on what has been the grandest stage so far in combat sports – the UFC’s Fight Island. Surely a victory for either man could get the discussion going again with championship implications.
Jack Hermansson looked to put his loss to Jared Cannonier behind him and remind the world that the buzz surrounding his four-fight win streak that halted last September was not merely hype, but a learning experience up the ranks.
Kelvin Gastelum’s fighting spirit that has led him to high rankings in the middleweight division has never faltered. Taking a tough match-up against Hermansson showed his championship aspirations going forward in the stacked division.
Then the fight, over in a flash. Wow! What a submission victory from Jack Hermansson! The pros took to social media to let the world know their reactions to this first-round submission in the co-main event. Let us know your thoughts on the quick first-round heel hook from Jack Hermansson!
Wow got it to work and then Gastelum gets heel hooked.. great win for Jack. Surprised he couldn’t get out of that.
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) July 19, 2020
Wow 😳👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾#UFCFightIsland2
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) July 19, 2020
Omg a heel hookie!!!!! #UFCFightIsland2
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) July 19, 2020
Big kudos to Hermansson, that was SIKKK but I’m still surprised Kelvin got caught with that. I feel like he could have gotten out. Keep your head up KG. #UFCFightIsland2
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) July 19, 2020
YEEEEESSSS!!!!! JACK🌋⚔️🌋⚔️🌋 #FightIsland2
— Emil Valhalla Meek (@emilvalhalla) July 19, 2020
Congrats to the joker, Gastelum is a beast!! Keep your head up man 👊🏻 #UFCFightIsland2
— Marlon Moraes (@MMARLONMORAES) July 19, 2020
Ain’t no joke!! 👏 #UFCFightIsland2 https://t.co/1MZb2QroW2
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) July 19, 2020
Omg!!! Hermansson with the nasty heel hook….
Did not see that coming and that quickly!!! 😯😯 #UFCFightIsland2
— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) July 19, 2020
