Middleweight contender Kelvin Gastelum is hoping he’ll be able to fight Jack Hermansson next and re-establish himself at the top of the division.
Gastelum is currently on a two-fight losing streak after falling to consecutive defeats against Israel Adesanya and Darren Till. Speaking to MMA Fighting the 28-year-old revealed he has been suffering from a torn LCL and is currently healing up, he said.
“I’ve been recovering from a torn LCL back in January. I had a full tear. No surgery needed, thankfully. Just been doing therapy on it and reconstructive therapy on it. It’s about 85 or 90 percent there,” Gastelum said.
“I’m just starting to grapple a bit, starting to box again. I’m starting to kick again. Training is picking back up a little bit. Just at the right time. Hopefully, by July, (and) I don’t know where this whole pandemic thing will be by then, but I’m hoping to fight by July.”
Once he is fit and ready to fight Gastelum has one opponent in mind who he thinks will help propel him back into title contention, he explained.
“I like to be able to fight anybody in the top-five,” Gastelum said. “In my opinion, a fight with Jack Hermansson would make sense. We’re both coming off losses. He’s in the top-five. A win for either of us would take us where we need to go.
“We both need to work our way back up the division, back up to Adesanya. I feel that’s the one that makes sense, but you never know what the matchmakers are thinking.”
The Swedish middleweight contender is coming off a loss to Jared Cannonier. He is currently being linked to a fight with former champion Chris Weidman although nothing has been confirmed yet.
Who wins if Kelvin Gastelum fights Jack Hermansson next?