Dana White: Kelvin Gastelum working with Mike Dolce for UFC 180, vows weight issues behind him

Kelvin Gastelum is, by all accounts, one of the welterweight division’s brightest young prospects. The underdog TUF 17 winner is 3-0 since defeating Uriah Hall in his season’s finale and subsequently dropping down to 170 pounds, yet one issue continues to plague him throughout his 2014 campaign.

Gastelum required multiple attempts to reach the welterweight limit of 171 pounds prior to his March victory over Rick Story, then missed weight entirely in his follow-up fight against Nico Musoke in June, tipping the scales at a hefty 172.75 pounds. Weight issues have derailed up-and-coming contenders in the past — think Anthony Johnson or John Lineker — but according to UFC President Dana White, the 22-year-old Gastelum has pledged to fix the trend before it blossoms into a full-blown issue.

“Trust me, I just asked him today: ‘What do you weigh? What are you doing?'” White told reporters in Mexico City on Tuesday.

“He’s going to hire Mike Dolce for his next fight. He promised me he will be on weight and that will never happen again, so I’m not worried. He’s a good kid, he’s a great fighter. He only calls out the best guys in the world, he wants to keep moving up that ladder. He knows that making weight is part of his job. He’s going to do the right things to make it happen now, and I’m not worried about it.”

After fighting at middleweight for the majority of his career, Gastelum (9-0) successfully worked with Dolce to aid his first two forays into the welterweight division. He decided against renewing the relationship last June though, stating that Dolce’s services were costly and he would attempt to follow Dolce’s methods on his own.

Gastelum ultimately missed weight and was fined 20-percent of his purse by the Texas athletic commission.

Gastelum is now scheduled to fight No. 8 ranked Jake Ellenberger on November 15th at UFC 180, in what will be the UFC’s first venture into Mexico.

Kelvin Gastelum is, by all accounts, one of the welterweight division’s brightest young prospects. The underdog TUF 17 winner is 3-0 since defeating Uriah Hall in his season’s finale and subsequently dropping down to 170 pounds, yet one issue continues to plague him throughout his 2014 campaign.

Gastelum required multiple attempts to reach the welterweight limit of 171 pounds prior to his March victory over Rick Story, then missed weight entirely in his follow-up fight against Nico Musoke in June, tipping the scales at a hefty 172.75 pounds. Weight issues have derailed up-and-coming contenders in the past — think Anthony Johnson or John Lineker — but according to UFC President Dana White, the 22-year-old Gastelum has pledged to fix the trend before it blossoms into a full-blown issue.

“Trust me, I just asked him today: ‘What do you weigh? What are you doing?'” White told reporters in Mexico City on Tuesday.

“He’s going to hire Mike Dolce for his next fight. He promised me he will be on weight and that will never happen again, so I’m not worried. He’s a good kid, he’s a great fighter. He only calls out the best guys in the world, he wants to keep moving up that ladder. He knows that making weight is part of his job. He’s going to do the right things to make it happen now, and I’m not worried about it.”

After fighting at middleweight for the majority of his career, Gastelum (9-0) successfully worked with Dolce to aid his first two forays into the welterweight division. He decided against renewing the relationship last June though, stating that Dolce’s services were costly and he would attempt to follow Dolce’s methods on his own.

Gastelum ultimately missed weight and was fined 20-percent of his purse by the Texas athletic commission.

Gastelum is now scheduled to fight No. 8 ranked Jake Ellenberger on November 15th at UFC 180, in what will be the UFC’s first venture into Mexico.