Kelvin Gastelum dismisses Colby Covington’s UFC title shot claim, says bout with Shavkat Rakhmonov is the “#1 contender fight”

Kelvin Gastelum is set to make his anticipated return to the welterweight division, coinciding with the celebration of Mexican Independence Day.

The former UFC middleweight title challenger will face off against the undefeated rising star Shavkat Rakhmonov in a thrilling showdown. This awaited clash has been scheduled as the co-main event for UFC Fight Night, which will unfold on September 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

During a recent interview with The Schmo, Kelvin Gastelum shared his thoughts on the UFC welterweight title contention landscape, dismissing Colby Covington's claim to a title shot. Gastelum boldly declared that his upcoming bout with 'Nomad' holds the true significance of a No.1 contender fight:

"I feel like I'm fighting the #1 contender at welterweight. I feel like he is the #1 contender. I don't think there's a clear contender other than Colby Covington. Colby's coming off, a win or loss? I don't remeber. I jus don't see any clear contenders other than Shavkat... I feel like this is the #1 contender fight."

Check out Gastelum's comment below:

The anticipated clash between UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards and Colby Covington is expected to take place before the end of the year, marking Edwards' second title defense. 'Rocky,' however, declined the opportunity to fight at UFC London in July, postponing his meeting with 'Chaos'. As per UFC president Dana White, Covington holds the prime position as the rightful contender for the title shot.

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Kelvin Gastelum explains why he agreed to face Shavkat Rakhmonov

UFC veteran Kelvin Gastelum provided insight into his decision to accept a challenging bout against the formidable Shavkat Rakhmonov in his welterweight comeback.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the American born-Mexican expressed his unwavering pursuit of championship glory, emphasizing that his hunger for gold remains unabated:

"I’m on a mission for gold still, and that’s one of the reasons why I feel like this fight is important. It puts me right there in those conversations to fight for the title, and that’s the main reason I chose to accept this fight is because I feel like I’m 10 years deep, and I feel like I’m still very young. But at the same time, I’m not."

He added:

"This sport has a very short timetable. I feel like there’s a window. One day that window will close. I want to make the most out of my career now and not have to wait 10 years down the line, 20 years in the future, and keep wondering, ‘What if.'”

Check out Kelvin Gastelum's comment below (from 3:00):