There is no doubting that the reason many people will tune in Saturday night to UFC 205 is to see if Conor McGregor can make history.
But, a bout down the main card lineup and playing second-fiddle – heck, maybe more like fifth-fiddle on this night – is a welterweight affair between top contenders Donald Cerrone and Kelvin Gastelum.
Maybe it’s just because I will never miss a “Cowboy” fight that I am so intrigued by this match up, but hear me out on my reasons before voting against.
Cerrone has been involved in some of the most interesting battles in the lower weight classes in recent years. His finishes of Jim Miller, Edson Barboza and Adriano Martins are on the highlight reel for his career, while he also holds wins over current lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez and former titleholder Benson Henderson.
Sure, Cerrone failed to net himself UFC gold when he was finished by Rafael dos Anjos last year, but it remains the only loss on his resume since 2013 – which also was to dos Anjos. In fact, outside of facing RDA, he is 12-0 in his last dozen fights.
Cerrone has earned a total of 13 “fight night” bonuses with the UFC to go along with five captured while competing in the WEC. His 18 bonuses stand as a Zuffa record, and eight of those are “Fight of the Night” winners.
Plain and simply put, he comes to fight.
His opponent, now, is a different beast.
Gastelum, who turned 25 years old last month, is part of a new-age of MMA fighter. He is a strong wrestler, has ever-improving striking and can also submit you from different angles. While Cerrone has met some of the best out there at welterweight, the former Ultimate Fighter winner stands as his toughest test in the 170-pound division to date.
Last July, Gastelum topped former division champion Johny Hendricks. His only two losses were both split decisions to Neil Magny and current UFC titleholder Tyron Woodley. He has stopped Nate Marquardt with strikes, submitted Jake Ellenberger and bested Rick Story.
So, while there is no reason to not be pumped about McGregor-Alvarez, Woodley-Stephen Thompson, the UFC strawweight title fight and Chris Weidman-Yoel Romero, at the end of the night, Cerrone-Gastelum might just tell us who the next welterweight contender is and walk away with a bonus or two.