Kelvin Gastelum (17-6 MMA, 11-6, 1 NCUFC)
Welterweight (170lbs.): 5-2 (UFC), Missed weight 3x
Middleweight (185lbs.): 6-4, 1 NC (UFC), TUF Season 17 Winner, Interim UFC Title Challenger
Kelvin Gastelum is another fighter that has been featured on multiple weight cutting chronicles, but unlike his upcoming opponent, Robert Whittaker, Kelvin has missed weight multiple times in the UFC.
Gastelum actually competed on and won Season 17 of the Ultimate Fighter at 185lbs back in 2012-2013. However Gastelum immediately moved down to the welterweight division after winning the show.
In the two years that followed, Gastelum would miss weight twice, at 172.8lbs and 180lbs before the UFC brass finally stepped in and forced him to move up to the middleweight division.
After a win at middleweight, Gastelum was allowed to move back down to the welterweight division, where he was able to make weight for a couple of fights. However, at the end of 2016 Gastelum missed weight for a fight against Donald Cerrone and the fight was cancelled. This was the last straw, and Gastelum has been at 185lbs ever since.
Though undersized for the middleweight division, standing at just 5’9″ with a 71.5″ reach, Gastelum has made quite an impact at 185lbs. On paper Gastelum might not have the best record since he’s moved up in weight, but take into account the high level of opposition that he’s faced, (Chris Weidman, Israel Adesanya, Darren Till, Jack Hermansson) along with the way that he lost those fights (often with a fantastic performance and earning bonuses) and its not hard to see why Kelvin should have been at 185lbs his entire UFC career.
