TUF 17 alum Kelvin Gastelum has so far been on a roll. After a highlight reel knockout victory over former middleweight champion Michael Bisping, the 26-year-old fighter extended his win streak with a split decision verdict over number two-ranked Ronaldo Souza at UFC 224.
What was the high point of the fight?
By the looks of the action in the first round, it seemed like “Jacare” was in control. He was able to impose his game by taking the fight to the mat and neutralizing Gastelum with his jiu-jitsu. He was even able to attempt an armlock from the guard, something that is rarely seen in mixed martial arts today.
The action became more evened out in the next two rounds, however, when it stayed predominantly on the feet. But it was Gastelum who showed more poise, scoring a clean knockdown in the second round. He was also able to put his chin to the test, eating a good number of Jacare’s power punches.
Where do these two go from here?
With Jacare back on the losing track, he will likely fall a few steps back onto the line of contenders eligible for a crack at the title. But a win over someone like Chris Weidman could easily get him back into the mix.
Gastelum did say that only a convincing victory over Jacare should warrant him a title shot. But looking at it logically, he is the next in line to face the winner of UFC 225’s main event fight between Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero.
Watch it now, later or never?
While this was quite action-packed, there are also other notable fights on the card so I would say this can be saved for later.
About the author
