Jack Hermansson believes a “spectacular” win over Kelvin Gastelum will change the perception of where he fits in the UFC middleweight title picture.
Hermansson (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is closing in on one of the biggest fights of his career when he takes on perennial contender Gastelum (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in the co-main event of the UFC’s July 18 card on “Fight Island,” which is also know as Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
It’s a key fight for the division, and Hermansson knows winning in a flashy manner would do him wonders.
“I would really love a spectacular win because my goal is the title,” Hermansson told MMA Junkie. “That’s what I want. That’s what I work for every day, so a spectacular win would open people’s eyes. I want people to crave me. I want the fans to scream (that) they want to see me fight. I hope I can make this happen. I’m going to create a situation where I can find a finish. Kelvin is hard to get out there, but that would be impressive if I could get him out of there.”
The UFC middleweight division is currently on pause as it waits for a title fight between champion Israel Adesanya and unbeaten contender Paulo Costa to play out. It’s rumored the pair could first coach the revamped version of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series before sharing the octagon, then there’s another important 185-pound bout between ex-champ Robert Whittaker and Darren Till set to play out on July 25.
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit and forced the UFC to alter it’s schedule, Hermansson was supposed to fight Chris Weidman in a main event bout on May 2. He saw some value in that matchup, but ultimately thinks the situation played out to his advantage because Gastelum’s stock is currently higher.
“The fight was never going to happen anyway because of travel issues and visas and stuff,” Hermansson said. “I don’t think Chris was ready to fight on this card. Gastelum wanted to fight me, I wanted to fight him. We asked the UFC if we could make it happen, we could so I think the outcome was even better than I thought so I’m super happy with this fight. I’m looking forward to it.
“Gastelum is a little bit more up-to-date. Weidman has a big name, but it’s a little bit about the rankings as well. I want to move forward and I feel like Gastelum is the right fight to do that.”
Jack Hermansson wants to make fans 'crave' for title fight by finishing Kelvin Gastelum
