Chris Weidman vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Five Biggest Takeaways From UFC on FOX 25

Chris Weidman is back, ladies and gentlemen. Or at least he says he is. After an immensely disappointing three-fight losing streak which saw the former middleweight champion finished in all three defeats, Weidman righted the ship and submitted Kelvin Gastelum in the third round of their headlining bout on Long Island. But that wasn’t the […]

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Chris Weidman is back, ladies and gentlemen. Or at least he says he is. After an immensely disappointing three-fight losing streak which saw the former middleweight champion finished in all three defeats, Weidman righted the ship and submitted Kelvin Gastelum in the third round of their headlining bout on Long Island.

But that wasn’t the only highlight of the event, as the card featured some exciting slugfests in Lyman Good vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and Jimmie Rivera vs. Thomas Almeida – even if Weidman’s submission was the biggest highlight by far.

In fact, the UFC’s first foray into the New York City suburbs featured several breakout performances and surprises, so let’s break it down and see what we’re left with after another strong UFC on FOX card.

5. Patrick Cummins Once Again Wins Despite Looking Like An Assault Victim

Every time Patrick Cummins wins, he looks like someone who was just mugged and assaulted. Saturday was no different, as Cummins bested Gian Villante by split decision despite the fact that his face was busted up beyond recognition.

But that’s how Cummins wins; he wins ugly. Regardless, a win is a win. Cummins has managed to work his way to a respectable 10-4 record, all with very limited striking experience and skill.

For the guy who once supposedly made Daniel Cormier cry, Cummins has etched out his own spot amongst the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

A fight with Marcel Fortuna or Misha Cirkunov make sense for Cummins.

As for Villante, his inconsistency coupled with Saturday’s defeat could point to his release from the UFC, but a prior working relationship with Scott Coker under the Strikeforce banner could lead to a contract with Bellator.

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UFC on FOX 25 Preview, Breakdown & Analysis

The UFC is set to make its debut on Long Island this upcoming weekend, as UFC on FOX 25 is slated to take place on Saturday night (July 22, 2017) live from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The UFC has stacked the deck with Long Island fighters, and the event will be headlined by former […]

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The UFC is set to make its debut on Long Island this upcoming weekend, as UFC on FOX 25 is slated to take place on Saturday night (July 22, 2017) live from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The UFC has stacked the deck with Long Island fighters, and the event will be headlined by former middleweight champion Chris Weidman taking on rising contender Kelvin Gastelum in a five round bout.

In the co-main event, featherweight stand out Dennis Bermudez will meet streaking veteran Darren Elkins. In addition, Gian Villante will clash with Patrick Cummins in a battle of light heavyweight contenders on the main card.

With that being said, let’s go ahead and take a deeper look at the card’s top three fights:

This is a pivotal bout for both men.

In Weidman’s case, the ex-champion’s back is against the wall. The 33-year-old Long Island native has lost three consecutive fights, with all three losses coming by way of TKO at the hands of Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero and Gegard Mousasi.

For Gastelum, this fight is about establishing himself as a legitimate contender in the middleweight division. The 25-year-old has scored back-to-back victories since moving back up to 185 pounds, although his latest victory over Vitor Belfort was changed to a no-contest after Gastelum tested positive for Marijuana.

Despite his recent losing skid, Weidman remains one of the best middleweights in the world. He tends to use a pressure-heavy, wrestling-based style backed by an underrated submission game, and a serviceable striking game. He certainly has knockout power, but the grappling department is where Weidman’s greatest strengths lie.

Gastelum, on the other hand, is a very well-rounded fighter, and possesses the pure striking advantage in this bout. He throws crisp combinations, and has showcased legitimate knockout power in recent memory.

If Gastelum can land big shots on the feet, it may end up being another rough night for Weidman. However, I feel as if Weidman will be fueled by the home field advantage. I expect the ex-champion to put the pressure on Gastelum and use his grappling to get back into the win column.

Prediction: Chris Weidman def. Kelvin Gastelum via unanimous decision

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Chris Weidman Focused On Proving He’s ‘The Best In The World’ At UFC Long Island

It’s no secret that Chris Weidman has experienced a fall from grace over the last few years. In 2013, the Long Island native shocked the world, knocking out legendary Anderson Silva with a brutal left hook to become the undisputed middleweight champion. He then defended his title three times against Silva, Lyoto Machida and Vitor […]

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It’s no secret that Chris Weidman has experienced a fall from grace over the last few years.

In 2013, the Long Island native shocked the world, knocking out legendary Anderson Silva with a brutal left hook to become the undisputed middleweight champion. He then defended his title three times against Silva, Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort, but Weidman has now lost three consecutive fights.

Weidman last competed at UFC 210 this past April where he suffered a highly controversial loss to Gegard Mousasi. The referee had originally stopped the action because he believed Mousasi had landed an illegal knee, but the knee was then deemed legal and “The Dreamcatcher” was named the victor.

Weidman made it clear that he wanted a rematch in the aftermath of the bout, but Mousasi recently signed with Bellator, which is why it makes sense that Weidman will be taking on Kelvin Gastelum in the main event of UFC on FOX 25 this weekend (July 22, 2017) on Long Island.

Weidman recently admitted that there was a bit of hesitation when he was offered the bout with Gastelum, but he also said that he’s ‘over’ the Mousasi rematch now:

“There was a little hesitation, because I wanted the Mousasi rematch,” Weidman told MMAjunkie. “And then we were finding out that he probably wasn’t going to (re-sign with the UFC), they offered me this fight, and I couldn’t turn it down.”

“I’m over it,” Weidman said. “He’s moved on. You don’t hold on to things. It’s the match I wanted, but he moved on; he’s doing whatever he has to do for himself, and I’ve got to focus on what I’ve got to do.”

Due to his recent losing skid, many have begun to write off Weidman, and many have certainly been doubting him. With that being said, Weidman is looking to prove why he’s still ‘the best guy in the world’ on Saturday:

“People are going to see on Saturday night who the best guy in the world is,” Weidman said. “The truth speaks volumes. I don’t have to say a word.”

Do you expect Weidman to get back in the win column in his home state?

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Kelvin Gastelum Wants Title Shot After Chris Weidman

25-year-old rising contender Kelvin Gastelum has scored back-to-back stoppage victories since moving up to middleweight late last year, although his most recent victory, a TKO win over Vitor Belfort, was changed to a no-contest after Gastelum tested positive for Marijuana. Nevertheless, Gastelum will take on former champion Chris Weidman in the main event of this […]

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Nevertheless, Gastelum will take on former champion Chris Weidman in the main event of this weekend’s (July 22, 2017) UFC on FOX 22 from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island.

Speaking on the upcoming bout, Gastelum appeared nothing but confident. He admitted that he feels he hasn’t been given his due credit, but he expects to beat Weidman, and when he does, he’s expecting to be next in line for a title shot:

“People can keep underestimating me all they want and that’s just fine with me,” Gastelum said in a recent interview with Flo Combat. “I’ll keep flying under the radar and once they realize what I can do I’ll be sitting there as champion. It’s funny to me because I keep piecing up these guys I face and still don’t get the credit I deserve. That’s fine with me though because it’s been the story of my career and I’m used to it.”

“I absolutely believe I’ll be the next guy in the title race with a win in this fight and don’t see why that wouldn’t be the case,” Gastelum said. “[Gegard] Mousasi is gone. [Luke] Rockhold is MIA and hasn’t fought for over a year. [Yoel] Romero and [Ronaldo] Jacare are both coming off losses,” he said.

Gastelum may have a point regarding the division’s top contenders, although champion Michael Bisping is expected to meet newly minted interim titleholder Robert Whittaker next. Even though that may be the case, Gastelum is planning on calling for a title shot after his bout with Weidman:

“I’m ready to be next in line and ready for my shot and I’m calling for it as soon as they hand me the mic. I’m ready to get this ball rolling and continue my push up to get that shot.”

Do you expect Gastelum to get by the former champion?

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Chris Weidman: I’m Still Here, Right At The Top

Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman has hit some rough times as of late, losing three consecutive bouts to the likes of Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero and Gegard Mousasi, three of the very best middleweights in the world. Weidman, however, believes he could’ve won all three of those fights and he still feels as if […]

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Weidman, however, believes he could’ve won all three of those fights and he still feels as if he’s the ‘best in the world’:

“Every one of those fights I lost, I was winning those fights and it isn’t like those guys showed they have more potential than me or that their ability is better and I wasn’t in their league,” he said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports. “There were times in those fights where it might have looked the other way, where I was leaps and bounds above them. All of them. They got their hands raised that night. They figured out a way to win,” he added.

“They got their hands raised and I didn’t, but that doesn’t dictate my potential or where I am in the division. I feel like I’m the best in the world. I just have to go out there and be relaxed and be confident and I don’t think any one of these guys could beat me.”

The 33-year-old Long Island native will get the chance to rebound this weekend when the UFC makes its Long Island debut at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Weidman will face rising contender Kelvin Gastelum in the main event of UFC on FOX 25.

Despite having a tough test in front of him, Weidman is focused on proving he’s the ‘best’:

“I respect Kelvin and he’s beaten some good guys in the middleweight division, no question about it,” Weidman said. “I just know what I can do and what I am capable of. I lost those three fights and that changes the way other people look at me, but not the way I view myself. There are different reasons I lost each one of them and to be honest, I had the worst night of my life three nights in a row.”

“I feel people are going to see the old Chris Weidman on Saturday,” he said. “I don’t even want to say the old Chris Weidman, because that kind of makes it seem like I’ve been gone. I haven’t. I’m still here, right at the top. That’s just how I feel. I’m prepared to go out there to prove I’m the best.”

Do you expect Weidman to come out on top this weekend?

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