A prominent name has been added to the Noche UFC lineup on September 13.
Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will celebrate Mexican Independence Day for the third time this fall. After a pay-per-view at the Sphere for the occasion in 2024, the now-annual card is back to UFC Fight Night status for 2025.
After plans to stage the event in Mexico itself for the first time fell through, the host city was changed from Guadalajara to San Antonio. There, the Brazilian-born, Mexico-raised Diego Lopes will headline against Jean Silva in a key clash at 145 pounds.
The card has been criticized for the lack of representation of the country it is actually celebrating. The latest fight announcement has not increased the number of Mexicans, but it has added a UFC Hall of Famer to the equation.
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Kelvin Gastelum vs Dustin Stoltzfus added to Noche UFC
The undercard for Lopes vs Silva most notably features the return of Tatiana Suarez. She will face fellow high-ranked strawweight Amanda Lemos, marking Suarez’s first fight since challenging Zhang Weili unsuccessfully in Australia this past February.
The tally of former title challengers at Noche UFC has now been increased to four, with Lopes, Suarez, and Lemos being joined by middleweight veteran Kelvin Gastelum.
Gastelum memorably battled Israel Adesanya at UFC 236 in 2019. Their five-round war for the interim 185-pound belt ultimately went the way of ‘The Last Stylebender’, but both men have reaped the rewards after being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing this year.
While Adesanya has gone on to enjoy a legendary career since that bout, the same cannot be said for Gastelum. The American has struggled for consistency ever since and is in the midst of a run that has seen him win just three of his last 10 fights.
The TUF season 17 winner will face someone coming off similar struggles at Noche UFC in Dustin Stolzfus, who has lost six of his last nine. Stolzfus announced the fight on his Instagram account.
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Fans react to Kelvin Gastelum’s ‘step down’ at Noche UFC
On paper, the matchup pits two struggling middleweights against each other. But given the caliber of opposition Gastelum once thrived against, some fans have taken issue with the matchmaking.
Reacting on social media, many suggested the UFC is ‘feeding’ the Hall of Famer a likely bounce-back victory after Gastelum’s loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC 316.
“Back to giving him people he can beat because Kelvin is somehow still a name some people care about? Giving him a Cody Brundage-level opponent now.”
“The Kelvin Gastelum fall off will be studied for generations.”
“Last chance for Gastelum. He’s gotta retire or get cut if he loses to Stoltzfus.”
“From title challenger to gatekeeper to journeyman making up the numbers. Gastelum is in his final form, sad ‘cos this guy (had insane chin and talent.”
“Crazy step down for Kevin.”
“Pointless ‘feed me’ fight for Kelvin who himself is 3-7 in his last 10.”
“Kelvin is 3-7 in his last 10. They are feeding Dustin to him to give him an easy win. This is going too far.”
Others, though, weren’t so negative when assessing Gastelum’s next matchup.
“A winnable fight for Kelvin, nice!”
“Easy W for KG.”
“Should be a win for Kelvin.”
“Great matchmaking.”