ABU DHABI – Kelvin Gastelum is on the first two-fight losing skid of his professional career, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost the backing of UFC president Dana White.
On Friday, after Gastelum (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) successfully weighed in for his UFC on ESPN+ 30 co-main event fight against Jack Hermansson (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC), White spoke with reporters and voiced his belief in the former UFC middleweight title challenger.
White wasn’t willing to deem UFC on ESPN+ 30 a “crossroads” fight for Gastelum. Win or lose, White said Gastelum will still be a top-10 middleweight in his eyes.
“That kid’s always exciting,” White said. “He’s always in fun fights, and I think (Saturday) night’s going to be the same, too. I think that’s a really fun fight. He’s always in it. He’s always right there. We’ll find out. I don’t think it’s a crossroads fight, though. This is a kid that win, lose or draw will still be in the top 10, will still be exciting and can pull out a win with one punch.”
Gastelum, 28, is coming off back-to-back losses against now-UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and fellow top contender Darren Till. In his past five outings, Gastelum has gone 2-3.
UFC on ESPN+ 30 takes place at the Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The event streams on ESPN+.
Dana White: UFC on ESPN+ 30 isn't a crossroads fight for Kelvin Gastelum