Kelvin Gastelum admitted he wasn`t initially thrilled about facing Joe Pyfer this weekend.
Gastelum is scheduled to compete against Pyfer this Saturday in a featured middleweight bout at UFC Mexico City. This marks Gastelum`s return to the Octagon following his victory over Daniel Rodriguez in Saudi Arabia last year. That previous fight was initially planned as a welterweight contest but was changed to middleweight due to weight management issues during fight week. Gastelum has confirmed that such weight class complications are behind him, stating his focus is now solely on the middleweight division.
“Yes, 185 pounds is definitely my weight class now,” Gastelum stated during a media day event in Mexico City. “And honestly, I feel great about it. I’ve experienced my career highlights at middleweight. This is where I’m staying. I feel comfortable, content, and physically strong. I`ve built up muscle mass to compete effectively against these larger fighters.”
“Previously, when competing at middleweight, I was still uncertain if it was the right division for me. I even considered moving back down to welterweight. However, during my title contention run, I remained at middleweight because of my success. I was winning fights, earned a title shot, and therefore stayed. Now, I genuinely feel like this is my true home in terms of weight class. I feel good here and I`m eager to deliver an exciting performance against top-tier fighters. My decision is firm; I am committed to the middleweight division.”
Despite winning The Ultimate Fighter 17 as a middleweight, Gastelum initially transitioned to welterweight where he achieved considerable success. However, persistent weight cutting issues led him back to 185 pounds. It was at middleweight where he faced Israel Adesanya for the interim title at UFC 236. Although Gastelum lost that fight by decision, it was recognized as the 2019 Fight of the Year and is set to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.
Considering his accomplishments, Gastelum confessed to being underwhelmed when the UFC proposed Joe Pyfer as his opponent for UFC Mexico City.
“Initially, the matchup did bother me a little because Joe Pyfer wasn`t the kind of opponent I was targeting,” Gastelum explained. “He wasn’t on my radar. I was aiming for a ranked fighter, someone with a more established name. But, looking at it now, I see this as a significant test for myself. I need to rebuild from the ground up. I need to face these up-and-coming, hungry fighters, and that’s precisely what I’m here to do. This is a fresh start for me, a new chapter in my career, and climbing back into the rankings begins with Joe Pyfer.”
If Gastelum is successful against Pyfer this Saturday, he will have numerous options for his next fight. While he isn`t actively pursuing a rematch with Israel Adesanya, his fellow UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Gastelum indicated he would be open to it if the opportunity arose.
“It’s not something I’ve been focusing on, but if it were to materialize and the circumstances aligned, I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” Gastelum stated. “However, it hasn`t been a primary goal. Izzy and I have always maintained a respectful relationship since our fight. He has consistently shown me respect, and I hold no animosity towards him. But, if fate were to bring us together for a rematch, it’s something we would have to consider.”
UFC Mexico City is scheduled for this Saturday at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.
