In Lamas, he is facing a tough fighter who is two years removed from going the distance with champion Jose Aldo. After the dominant performance, Gastelum chose to return to 170 pounds. “It feels good to get the reception that I get from the Mexican fans”.
Advertisement
Following an unfortunate ankle injury to Matt Brown, Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card in Monterrey, Mexico, will be headlined by a welterweight fight between Kelvin Gastelum and late replacement Neil Magny. “I’m real happy I get to compete here”.
Another transition and Magny ends up in Gastelum’s half-guard.
As it looked like Magny was ramping up, Gastelum stormed back in the fourth round, dropping Magny not once, but twice, although Magny did a good job playing defense until he could recover. Magny sweeps. They scramble and in the end Magny gets into full mount then has Gastelum’s back again.
DM: Every ounce of my being wants Diego Sanchez to win this but his first fight at 145 lbs is nothing resembling an easy welcome.
Until Sanchez realizes leading with your chin is always a bad idea, he isn’t going to resurrect his career the way that he believes he will. Too often he marches at his opponents with his hand down imploring them to “bring it”. Sanchez might do alright for a round, but the effects of weight cutting and the style of Lamas are going to break him down and finish him. I like Sanchez, but I think it’s time he might have to consider hanging it up. Lamas is one of the best in the featherweight division. I expect him to get a favorable matchup next. Gastelum clinches with Neil Magny temporarily. This will be Magny’s 10th fight in 21 months.
Gastelum transitions back to side control and is trying for the cruficix position again. Magny has improved by leaps and bounds since his run on The Ultimate Fighter.
No doubt the story of this fight will be the shoddy refereeing and the audacity of Jorgensen’s corner to allow him to continue fighting.
While there didn’t seem to really be a set strategy by either fighter, I’ll give them credit for putting on an entertaining bout for the short time that it took place. At 31, it is hard to believe that Reyes will be able to improve to the point that he can become a longtime fixture on the roster, but the win certainly showed he at least deserves the chance to do so.
Taking his second short notice fight in as many outings, Magny’s cardio looked fantastic as he never stopped pressuring and searching for jabs and submissions on the ground against Gastelum. However, no judge saw it that way and Magny walked away with the hard-fought victory. Gastelum, 24, is back at welterweight and working with one of the best nutritionists in the game in George Lockhart. He’s very aggressive and good on the ground. “Magny is extremely long for welterweight and has an 80″ reach. I see Gastelum getting inside those Stretch Armstrong limbs of Magny and taking the fight from there.
The staff picks Kelvin Gastelum, 3-0.
Advertisement
This weekend’s UFC Fight Night Magny vs. Gastelum features nine Mexico-born competitors, with several others having a Mexican bloodline – including headliner Kelvin Gastelum.
