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Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum is shaping up to become one of the best fights in the UFC this year.
With Paulo Costa bowing out due to severe illness, the UFC stumbled upon another interesting matchup as Kelvin Gastelum agreed to step in on short notice and challenge the former UFC middleweight champ.
When two top-tier talents such as Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum clash inside the Octagon, fans tend to expect to witness an instant classic. And while putting two great fighters together doesn't always make for an action-packed fight, both Whittaker and Gastelum have proved in the past that they are capable of putting on a show.
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On that note, let's take a look at five reasons why Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum has good potential to become the UFC Fight of the Year.
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#5 Robert Whittaker is in scary good shape
Robert Whittaker began his training camp preparing for a different fighter than the one he's going to face on April 17th. But according to 'The Reaper', he's not worried about the late change of opponent at all:
“I think I’m going to be too much for [Kelvin Gastelum]. My striking is too crisp. I think it’s too fast. I think I’ve got too many weapons. He may try to take me down a couple of times, and I only think it’ll work to his detriment because it’s a five-round fight and wrestling takes it out of you," Robert Whittaker told MMAJunkie.
Oozing with confidence, Robert Whittaker predicted that he won't only defeat Kelvin Gastelum, but he'll do so in an emphatic manner:
“I think I put him away in the second. All I know is I’m going to go into this fight the best Robert Whittaker I’ve been, and I’m going into this fight very happy – and a happy Rob is a very dangerous one.”
#4 Kelvin Gastelum doesn't back down from anyone
In 2019, Kelvin Gastelum went to war with Israel Adesanya, who went on to become the undisputed UFC middleweight king. Adesanya ultimately bagged the unanimous decision win but not without getting brutalized himself.
Gastelum kept pushing forward and connecting with some heavy punches to Adesanya's head. In the process, Gastelum absorbed Adensanya's stinging head shots, high-powered body kicks, and vicious elbow strikes. Despite all of that, Gastelum never went away.
Gastelum gave Adesanya such a difficult time that at the beginning of the fifth and final round, Adesanya mouthed, "I'm willing to die. I'm prepared to die."
Kelvin Gastelum will get another opportunity in a few days to test his fortitude against another championship-calibre fighter in Robert Whittaker.
#3 Rober Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum looked great in their last fights
After losing the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker is back to his winning ways. In his last two fights, Robert Whittaker scored back-to-back unanimous decision wins over top contenders Darren Till and Jared Cannonier.
Meanwhile, Kelvin Gastelum is fresh off an impressive unanimous decision victory over Ian Heinisch at UFC 258. His recent win is a welcome change for Gastelum, after he lost three consecutive fights against current champion Israel Adesanya and fellow ranked middleweights Till and Jack Hermansson.
A win for Robert Whittaker should solidify his status as the number one contender for the UFC middleweight title. However, an upset in favor of Kelvin Gastelum would revive his struggling career. Safe to say, both combatants will be highly-motivated to turn in impressive performances come fight night.
#2 Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum are still getting better
Robert Whittaker has made significant improvements to his game since dropping the middleweight title in 2019. Against Till, Whittaker proved that he can outclass one of the best counterpunchers in the UFC.
Whittaker neutralized Till's punching power by mixing up his offense. The Australian-national surprised Till by deploying a diverse arsenal of weapons, which included knee stomps, level changes and sneaky power punches
Kelvin Gastelum, meanwhile, has also shown signs of maturity during his most recent bout against Heinisch. Gastelum relied heavily on his elite wrestling skills to earn a unanimous decision win over his larger opponent.
Whittaker and Gastelum are both cerebral fighters and their recent success in the Octagon can attest to their high fighting IQ. Only time will tell which fighter will out perform the other.
#1 Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum have multiple Fight of the Night honors
Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum have put on multiple show-stealing performances throughout their careers.
Whittaker won his first Fight of the Night bonus against Clint Hester at UFC Fight Night 55. He also won a back-and-fourth battle against Derek Brunson to earn both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night honors at UFC Fight Night 101. Whittaker bagged his most recent FOTN award at UFC 255 for his winning effort against Yoel Romero.
Gastelum, meanwhile, earned his first FOTN award in a losing performance against Neil Magny in 2015. Three years later, Gastelum snagged his second FOTN bonus after edging out Jacare Souza in a close split decision. Finally, Gastelum's classic battle with Adesanya not only won FOTN, but was also selected by multiple sports media outlets as UFC Fight of the Year for 2019.
History tells us that putting either Whittaker or Gastelum against tough competition is a recipe for an exhilarating thriller. In theory, pitting the two against each other should yield a breath-taking main event showdown for the ages.
