Henry Cejudo sees title potential in Kelvin Gastelum – but at a different weight class.
Gastelum (18-8 MMA, 12-8 UFC) returned to the win column with a much-needed Fight of Night decision win over Chris Curtis this past Saturday at UFC 287 in Miami.
Although Gastelum is a former interim middleweight title challenger who took current champion Israel Adesanya to the brink in their 2019 Fight of the Year at UFC 236, Cejudo thinks he’d fully reach his potential if he returned to welterweight.
“Long time coming,” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel. “It’s crazy how many losses Kelvin has, but who is it that he’s actually fought? Fighting a hammer like Chris Curtis, I tell you what, Kelvin looked better than ever. Kicked the leg, used the hands, did an amazing job with this fight, and I just think it’s only up here for Kelvin.
“I think if Kelvin decides to go to 170 pounds, I think he becomes champion. I really do. I sincerely, sincerely mean that. Get him on a good weight program, somebody he can trust, maybe have him not puff and pass so damn much. If Kelvin’s able to do that, I think he’d be a lethal, lethal weapon at 170 pounds, so you guys don’t cross that man out.”
Gastelum hasn’t competed at welterweight since beating Johny Hendricks in 2016. Two weight misses, including one in a 180-pound catchweight bout, prompted Gastelum to make the move up.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.
Henry Cejudo: Kelvin Gastelum would be ‘lethal weapon,’ UFC champ if he returned to welterweight
