If Uriah Hall defeats Kelvin Gastelum to become The Ultimate Fighter season 17 winner, prepare for the inundation of praise. There will be plenty of those ready to throw him up against the very best in 185-pound division.
The operative word there is if Hall beats Gastelum.
Hall has created quite the buzz with his performance on the show this season. Quite frankly, the hype is deserved. He delivered one of the most memorable knockouts in the history of not just the show but the UFC as an organization against Adam Cella.
He didn’t stop there, though. He followed it up with a devastating knockout of Bubba McDaniel in the first round. He then saved his most impressive feat for last and essentially knocked out Dylan Andrews from bottom position in the second round to advance to the finals.
It’s easy to see why Hall is being seen as a potential contender right way. He’s been a blast to watch fight on the show and the potential is definitely there.
However, his opponent has been counted out from the beginning and is now in the same position as Hall.
Gastelum was an afterthought even in the show’s draft process. As Chael Sonnen’s last pick, he didn’t stand out during the entry round and was never considered one of the front-runners to wind up in that position.
Despite the lack of fanfare, he’s finished all of his opponents in the house on his way to the final.
He choked out McDaniel in the second round. Showed off some power when he scored a first-round knockout of Collin Hart in the next round and punched his ticket to the final with a submission victory over Josh Samman.
It’s felt like Gaselum has been the underdog in every round, yet he just finds a way to win.
In many ways, he’s the perfect opponent for Hall to take on in The Ultimate Fighter Finale. Hall is the ultimate favorite—the flashy knockout artist with the potential to become a legitimate contender right away.
Gastelum is the perpetual underdog—always overlooked yet surprisingly efficient. Just watching the two fight we know that Hall is the favorite; he’s earned that. But we also know that Gastelum won’t quit or fight apprehensively.
Hall may be capable of accomplishing great things in the Octagon, but he can’t afford to be focused on anything other than beating Gastelum at The Ultimate Fighter Finale, because Gastelum certainly won’t be looking past Hall.
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