Latest news with #Gastelum
USA Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kelvin Gastelum: Learning how to be champion outside of camp will head UFC bounce-back
LAS VEGAS – Twelve years after his UFC debut, Kelvin Gastelum admits things are still a work in progress. Less than one month removed from his loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC 316, Gastelum (19-10 MMA, 13-10 UFC) won't speculate who his next fight will be against or who it will be. "It's unfortunate he couldn't fight in Mexico City because we wanted to use the elevation as a weapon," Gastelum recently told MMA Junkie Radio at the UFC X fan experience. "We went out there a month ahead and did everything right so that we were able to use the elevation and the training that I had out there as a weapon." Throughout his career, Gastelum has had ups and downs – quite literally. He bounced between welterweight and middleweight, but has firmly nestled himself into the mix at the heavier weight class. He has not interest in dropping back down. What Gastelum is focused on are the adjustments he can make to get a different result. Largely, Gastelum thinks the most room for improvement can be found in the areas of outside-the-cage discipline. "I think I just need to make some changes maybe in my daily life," Gastelum said. "Maybe, I'll sacrifice a little bit more when I'm not in training camp. I do whatever, whenever. I go party. I go out to restaurants more than I should. When I'm not in training camp, I need to learn how to be a world champion, even when I'm not in training camp – staying disciplined and making sacrifices, even when I don't have a fight." "... "I think over the last few years, I've been making changes in my daily life to make necessary changes so I can reflect on my career. It's a never-ending game, this MMA. I'm still trying to figure things out 13 years later, which is crazy. But here we are." MMA is a sport of momentum, in Gastelum's eyes. Although he's alternated losses and wins across his most recent five outings, the goal hasn't changed. UFC gold is still what he strives for. "I just know that I need to restart, man, get a fresh start, get a streak going and keep it going, just keep the ball rolling," Gastelum said. "It's so hard to build that momentum when it comes to fighting. I'm just trying to build that momentum up again to go on a run and ultimately, that's what I want."
RNZ News
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Adesanya and Gastelum fight inducted into UFC Hall of Fame
Israel Adesanya (right) fights Kelvin Gastelum Photo: Photosport Israel Adesanya's middleweight war with Kelvin Gastelum has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. The barnburner went down in 2019 at UFC 236 with the interim title on the line, Adesanya eventually prevailing by decision following a dominant final five minutes. The Last Stylebender saw his star ascend to greater heights after muttering to himself, 'I'm prepared to die,' ahead of the fifth round of the brutal battle. Named Fight of the Year in 2019, the middleweight classic has now been officially recognised as one of the best in the promotions history, inducted into the fight wing of the UFC's Hall of Fame. Speaking at the ceremony in Las Vegas as part of UFC international Fight Week, which will see Adesanya's City Kick Boxing team-mate Kai Kara-France challenge for the flyweight strap, the Nigerian-born Kiwi said it was an honour. "It's not really hit yet, but it feels good just to be acknowledged for that fight. It was one of the greatest fights in the UFC in combat sports and human history. I like the fact that I get to do with Kel because it takes two to tango." Adesanya said the fight was 'movie type s***.' "He just brought the best out of me. That was one of the most top three important moments in my life, not just in fighting, in my career, in my life, because it brought the best out of me as a man and I found the levels that you can find." Though it's been a lean run of late for the former middleweight king, losing his past three fights in the UFC, Adesanya said the Gastelum fight will always define his career. "It's never going to be something that anyone can take away from both of us. That's cemented forever. Legacy." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
USA Today
07-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 316: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer odds, picks and predictions
UFC 316: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer odds, picks and predictions In a 3-round middleweight bout on the main card, Kelvin Gastelum and Joe Pyfer meet Saturday at UFC 316 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The main event is expected to start approximately at 11:15 p.m. ET. The early prelims are slated to begin at 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+ / Disney+) with the prelims scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (ESPN / ESPN+ / Disney+) and the main card set for 10 p.m. ET (Pay-Per-View). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's UFC odds around the UFC 316: Gastelum vs. Pyfer odds, and make our expert UFC picks and predictions. Records: Gastelum (20-9-0) | Pyfer (13-3-0) Gastelum last fought almost a year ago when he claimed a unanimous-decision victory against Daniel Rodriguez June 22, 2024. It was a nice bounceback for Gastelum as he suffered a submission loss to Sean Brady Dec. 2, 2023. Gastelum is 3-6 in his past 9 fights dating back to April 2019 when he lost a title bout to Israel Adesanya at UFC 236. Pyfer also hasn't fought since last June when he picked up a Round 1 KO/TKO victory over Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC 303, rebounding from a unanimous-decision setback to Jack Hermansson in a Fight Night main event in February 2024. Pyfer is 5-1 in his last 6 bouts since July 2022. The veteran Gastelum heads into this fight as a big underdog. He gives away 4 inches in reach and is 5 years older than Pyfer. The significant strikes landed per minute is basically even with Gastelum at 3.74 and Pyfer at 3.72. Gastelum has a 46.66% significant strikes accuracy percentage, while Pyfer is at 41.95%. The 28-year-old Pyfer has managed a 1.45 takedown average, while Gastelum checks in at 1.10 in the category. On submission average, Pyfer has a 0.87 mark in the category, while Gastelum has posted just a 0.10 mark in that area. UFC 316: Gastelum vs. Pyfer odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:46 a.m. ET. Fight result (2-way line) : Gastelum +310 (bet $100 to win $310) | Pyfer -400 (bet $400 to win $100) : Gastelum +310 (bet $100 to win $310) | Pyfer -400 (bet $400 to win $100) Total Rounds: 2.5 Rounds (Over -135 | Under +100) 2.5 Rounds (Over -135 | Under +100) Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -105 | No -130) UFC 316: Gastelum vs. Pyfer picks and predictions Backing Pyfer (-400) will cost 4 times the potential return. That's way too much risk for a singular bet. Even if you were to toss the -400 into a multi-leg parlay, it chips away a lot of value from your betslip. Pyfer is a punching machine and is tremendous in finding ways to get the knockout. On the flip side, Gastelum is on the downside of his career, dropping 6 of the past 9 bouts (as mentioned). While Gastelum hasn't been knocked out in his career, going 6-0 via the method, eating punches at a rapid rate, whether he is knocked out or not, will leave a bad taste in the mouths of the judges. Backing PYFER BY DECISION/TECHNICAL DECISION (+150) at plus-money is a much better value on the 7-way method of victory line. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! OVER 2.5 ROUNDS (-135) is a strong play, as Gastelum has the chops as a veteran to hang around even if he is eating punches and falling behind on points in the eyes of the judges. Pyfer should be able to do much more to get in favor of the judges. For distance, that's neither here nor there, however. He can win via KO/TKO, and via submission, but Gastelum's defense is solid, and his veteran leadership will at least help him hang around to let the judges decide. YES (-105): FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE is a good play at near even-money. Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis. For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Daniel Dobish on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 316: Kelvin Gastelum explains frustration of Joe Pyfer fight rebooking, Mexico remarks
UFC 316: Kelvin Gastelum explains frustration of Joe Pyfer fight rebooking, Mexico remarks Show Caption Hide Caption UFC 316: Kelvin Gastelum media day interview UFC 316 fighter Kelvin Gastelum spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his featured bout vs. Joe Pyfer on Saturday. MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Kelvin Gastelum wasn't thrilled to hear Joe Pyfer talk down on Mexico. Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC), a Mexican-American fighter, heard the recent disparaging remarks from Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) made after an illness led to the cancellation of their first scheduled meeting in March at UFC on ESPN 64, which took place in Mexico City. Pyfer took his frustrations out on the entire country of Mexico, calling the country a "sh*t hole," while vowing never to return. "Yeah, obviously it did a little bit of sour taste in my mouth," Gastelum told reporters at UFC 316 media day. "I just think that the way he went about it was a little rude. He shouldn't say those things about other people's countries, and I just think he should have been better about the way he went about it. I don't think those comments were right." The UFC kept the matchup together and rescheduled the fight for the main card of Saturday's UFC 316 (ESPN+ pay-per-view), which takes place at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Gastelum admits there is some frustration that the fight didn't take place in its original location. With the change, Gastelum not only lost out monetarily but also lost a strategic component to the matchup. "We were ready for Mexico City – I spent a whole month out there, brought a whole camp out there," Gastelum said. "It was so much time and investment financially, and then just it was a hard, grueling camp. We were planning to use the elevation as part of a weapon, so it was unfortunate that it didn't happen there." Gastelum aims to make it back-to-back wins following a unanimous decision nod over Daniel Rodriguez last June. Keeping the momentum going would be a nice way to enter the summer, where he will be inducted into the UFC's Hall of Fame for his interim title fight war with Israel Adesanya at UFC 236. He admits he hasn't thought much about it yet, as the moment's significance probably won't hit him until the ceremony takes place during International Fight Week. While a Hall of Fame moment is appreciated, Gastelum wants to be remembered for something more before his career is done. "I think it was just a result of everything that I've done and the fights and wars that I've had," Gastelum said of the Hall of Fame induction. "But, the ultimate thing is I want people to remember me as the world champion, which hasn't happened yet, and that's still on my mind."
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Joe Pyfer considers Kelvin Gastelum fight 'one of them layups,' stands by Mexico insults
Joe Pyfer considers Kelvin Gastelum fight 'one of them layups,' stands by Mexico insults Joe Pyfer sees a big incentive in beating Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 316. Pyfer (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) vs. Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) was rebooked for June 7 in Newark, N.J. The pair were originally scheduled to fight at UFC on ESPN 64 in Mexico City this past March, but the bout was scrapped after Pyfer withdrew from the fight hours before due to illness. 'No, I was scared that I wasn't going to be able to run it back with him, man," Pyfer said on "The Ariel Helwani Show." "I think this is a great opportunity for me. I think this fight is kind of one of them layups for me to really perform, and it's no discredit to him. I have respect for him. I haven't heard him say anything, to my knowledge, of him talking sh*t, or I'd have a different demeanor. But I think he's been respectful. I think I've been respectful of him, and I've trained my ass off for him." Gastelum hasn't been performing like the fighter who once pushed Israel Adesanya to the brink, but his durability has held on. Pyfer wants to test his chin. "I've literally had f*cking double dreams of everything," Pyfer said. "Every scenario, I've had a double f*cking dream. I'm just tired of picturing his fat-ass f*cking face in my brain every f*cking day. I'm over it. I'm just ready to do the dance. I'm ready to throw down. He's an exciting guy, I'm an exciting guy. Obviously I'm the prospect. He's the vet. ... I want to be the first guy to knock him out, man, just quite frankly. I know I can do it." Pyfer stands by calling Mexico 'sh*thole' When Pyfer pulled out of his first fight with Gastelum, he labeled Mexico as a "sh*thole" country and vowed to never return again. He didn't walk back his comments when addressing what happened. "Look at it this way: I don't have to go into specifics, but if the country was so great, we wouldn't have so many problems,' Pyfer said. "What I said was misconstrued. I said, 'If that's what fighting in that country is, then f*ck that place, it's a sh*thole,' and so on and so forth. I don't understand why we would risk fighting there. The risk is so great. I got sick twice, and I never said anything about it. "There's people who still have side effects. 'DC' went on and said, 'Man, my stomach was messed up, I hate that place,' and nobody gave him sh*t for it. I'm a little bit more unapologetic. It's nothing towards the people. The people were fine. I had nothing bad to say about the people. It's just as far as fighting there, fighting at that elevation, fighting at that altitude, why would I risk that?"
