Pro Fighters React To Footage Of Mike Tyson Attacking Airline Passenger

Mike TysonSeveral professional fighters have shared their thoughts after footage emerged this week of former boxing world champion, Mike Tyson involved in a physical altercation with an airline passenger during a flight – leaving the man bloodied. Mike Tyson, acknowledged as one of the most devastating and daunting strikers in the history of professional boxing, appears […]

Mike Tyson

Several professional fighters have shared their thoughts after footage emerged this week of former boxing world champion, Mike Tyson involved in a physical altercation with an airline passenger during a flight – leaving the man bloodied.

Mike Tyson, acknowledged as one of the most devastating and daunting strikers in the history of professional boxing, appears to have become agitated by an airline passenger on his flight – sitting behind him, who appears to pester him for an interaction.

In video footage released by TMZ, Mike Tyson eventually strikes the passenger multiple times to the face and head, leaving him bloodied as the Jetblue plane attempts to depart from San Francisco International Airport upon arrival in Florida. \

Prior to the footage of Tyson striking the individual over the back of his chair, the male is seen speaking to Tyson would is sitting quietly – and waving his arms in quite animated fashion.

Mike Tyson is alleged to have been struck by a water bottle before the altercation

With authorities currently investigating the incident, a spokesperson for former world champion, Tyson released an official statement, detailing how Tyson had been “harassed” by the passenger, who had also allegedly thrown a bottle of water at Tyson.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Tyson had an incident on a fight with an aggressive passenger who began harassing him and threw a water bottle at him while he was in his seat,” The statement read. 

With Tyson receiving plaudits largely for his actions against the passenger, several fighters and prominent figures in combat sports shared their thoughts on the former world champion’s response to the incident.

“Hey dummies, for future reference, this is how you stay alive when bumping into @MikeTyson on an airplane,” UFC president, Dana White tweeted – accompanied with a video of him switching seats with Tyson on a plane. 

“If you’re being heckled in public like Mike Tyson was you should legally get a hall pass to beat someone’s ass,” Jake Paul tweeted. “This generation thinks they can get away with anything.” 

“Mike Tyson punched dude up on the plane…. Not gonna lie that sh*t was satisfying to see,” Claressa Shields tweeted. “People think trolling celebrities is cool, it ain’t. Internet got people to (sic) comfortable disrespecting folks & not getting hit in the mouth for it (shoulders shrugging emoji).” 

“Drunk, annoying and rude,” Kelvin Gastelum tweeted. “Pls (Please) don’t be like this guy folks. I’ve been around MIke (Tyson) and he’s an extremely calm person these days. This guy must’ve really brought it out of him.” 

The San Francisco Police Department released a statement confirming that they had detained two subjects in relation to the incident involving Tyson, detailing how the subject who had been treated for “non-life-threatening” injuries had elected to cooperate further in a police investigation.

“Officers arrived and detained two subjects that were believed to be involved in the incident,” The statement read. “One subject was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries. That subject provided minimal details of the incident and refused to cooperate further with the police investigation. Both subjects were released.” (H/T MMA Junkie)

Kelvin Gastelum Backs Robert Whittaker To Upset Israel Adesanya At UFC 271

Kelvin GastelumKelvin Gastelum is a former opponent of Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker and is, therefore, better placed than anyone to offer a prediction for the UFC 271 main event. The Ultimate Fighter winner was dominated by Whittaker over the course of five rounds last April. During a recent appearance on the UFC 271 weigh-in show, […]

Kelvin Gastelum

Kelvin Gastelum is a former opponent of Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker and is, therefore, better placed than anyone to offer a prediction for the UFC 271 main event.

The Ultimate Fighter winner was dominated by Whittaker over the course of five rounds last April. During a recent appearance on the UFC 271 weigh-in show, Gastelum admitted it was the most befuddled he had ever been inside the Octagon.

“After my last fight with Rob Whittaker, I’ve never been that dazed, kind of scratching my head like, ‘Man, this guy was really better than me today,’” Gastelum said. And I really didn’t see an opening, and he was just much better. I just had never felt that in a fight before and not even against Adesanya did he make me feel that way.  I think Robert Whittaker was just operating on a different level, and I think if he can continue operating at that level, then I think he may be able to take it.”

In April 2019, Gastelum pushed ‘Stylbender’ more than anyone ever had. The 30-year-old hit and hurt Adesanya on multiple occasions throughout their five-round interim title fight before ultimately falling to a unanimous decision defeat.

Gastelum says Whittaker must avoid making the mistakes he made during his first fight with Adesanya in order to have a chance of regaining the middleweight strap.

“He needs to pick his shots well,” Gastelum said. “Not leap and jump in there like he did last time. Adesanya is a master at managing distance and controlling distance, and so he needs to be careful with that, about jumping in and leaping in like he did last time, but pick his shots. I think he’s gonna be a little bit faster, I think he has the right tools to beat Adesanya and maybe mix in a little bit more wrestling, as well.”

“If he mixes it up and mixes in his wrestling, I think he can be successful,” Gastelum continued. “I think he can open up a lot of doors if he uses his wrestling.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)

Do you agree with Kelvin Gastelum on the UFC 271 main event?

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov Targeted For UFC 273 On April 9

Middleweight contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Nassourdine Imavov are set to collide at UFC 273 on April 9.

In the latest of a string of additions to 2022’s fourth pay-per-view card, former interim title challenger Gastelum and rising Frenchman Imavov…

Kelvin Gastelum, Nassourdine Imavov

Middleweight contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Nassourdine Imavov are set to collide at UFC 273 on April 9.

In the latest of a string of additions to 2022’s fourth pay-per-view card, former interim title challenger Gastelum and rising Frenchman Imavov will clash with a place in the 185-pound top 10 on the line, per ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto.

In his first appearance of 2022, Gastelum will be in desperate need of a rebound win. Since a Fight of the Year interim championship fight with Israel Adesanya in 2019, The Ultimate Fighter 17 winner has struggled for form and consistency.

Defeats to Darren Till, Jack Hermansson, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier since UFC 236 have left Gastelum with a 1-5 record in his last six Octagon outings. His sole victory in that period came against the unranked Ian Heinisch last February.

Imavov, meanwhile, is going in the opposite direction on the middleweight ladder. Whilst his upcoming opponent has slipped to #10 in the rankings, the Dagestan-born French fighter has risen into the top 15 thanks to back-to-back wins against Heinisch and Edmen Shahbzayan.

Against “The Golden Boy” at UFC 268 last November, the “Russian Sniper” established himself as a contender with a brutal TKO from the crucifix position.

On April 9, Gastelum will be looking to return the win column and begin his ascent back to the top. Despite his veteran status in the promotion, the Californian is still only 30 and has plenty of time to resurrect his ambitions in the UFC.

For Imavov, who is five years Gastelum’s younger, this matchup represents the chance for him to break into the middleweight top 10 and take a big step further towards title contention, something the MMA Factory product will hope to welcome in with open arms at UFC 273.

Listed below are the fights expected to take place at UFC 273:

Alexander Volkanovski (C) vs. The Korean Zombie (featherweight title fight)

Aljamain Sterling (C) vs. Petr Yan (IC) (bantamweight unification title fight)

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov (middleweight)

Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres (women’s strawweight)

Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott (welterweight)

Irene Aldana vs. Aspen Ladd (women’s bantamweight)

Pat Sabatini vs. Gavin Tucker (featherweight)

Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 273, Kelvin Gastelum or Nassourdine Imavov?

Continue Reading Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nassourdine Imavov Targeted For UFC 273 On April 9 at MMA News.

Robert Whittaker Explains The Predicament Kelvin Gastelum Is In

Former UFC Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker views fierce competition as the main hurdle in Kelvin Gastelum’s career.

#1 middleweight contender Robert Whittaker will go against Israel Adesanya in a rematch at UFC 271 this February to reclaim t…

Robert Whittaker Kelvin Gastelum

Former UFC Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker views fierce competition as the main hurdle in Kelvin Gastelum‘s career.

#1 middleweight contender Robert Whittaker will go against Israel Adesanya in a rematch at UFC 271 this February to reclaim the championship. He knows firsthand what it is like to lose to “The Last Stylebender” and refuses to let it be his downfall.

Robert Whittaker (left) and Israel Adesanya / Photo Credit: Michael Dodge/EPA

Since the UFC 243 loss, the New Zealand-born fighter has been on a winning streak, including a win against Gastelum and the middleweight division’s #3-ranked fighter Jared Cannonier, who bested Gastelum by unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 43.

In contrast, Kelvin Gastelum has experienced a setback after his loss to Israel Adesanya back in 2019 and questions his place in his current weight class.

“I don’t see him going back down to 170. He’s a thick dude. He hits like a ton of bricks as well. I don’t see him going down to 170. He’s just in that awkward spot that I think a lot of guys get in, where they find it hard, they’re coming up against the highest tier up at the top of the ladder, but they crush a lot of the dudes coming up onto the ladder. So he’s kind of getting caught in that gatekeeping sort of spot,” Whittaker said about Gastelum in a recent interview with MMA Junkie.

The middleweight division certainly is home to some incredible UFC talent such as Sean Strickland, Jack Hermansson, Derek Brunson, and, of course, Israel Adesanya. Every fighter is hungry to be the champion. And with only one win out of his last six fights, Kelvin Gastelum may have a long journey ahead.

But despite the defeats, “The Reaper” had nothing other than positive things to say about the #10 middleweight:

“I’ve got a lot of love for that guy, I really like him. I’ve got a lot of respect for him as well. He’s had a bit of a rough skid lately, just because he’s been fighting hard guys. He’s been fighting top-tier opponents. It is not easy… fighting, playing, and trying to advance up in the top five. It is hard. Everyone up there is the best in the world. Everyone up there could be the next champ. We’ve seen that with him. He’s been fighting the highest-quality opponents,” Whittaker told MMA Junkie.

Kelvin Gastelum
Image Credit: Steve Marcus/Getty Images

Struggling to make weight caused Gastelum’s move up to the middleweight division in 2016. But following his Ultimate Fighter 17 win in 2013, Kelvin Gastelum sped through the welterweight rankings. Despite fewer losses at 170 and talks of hiring a dietician to help maintain his weight, we may see Gastelum in a welterweight bout in 2022.

With seven knockouts under his name, the veteran fighter possesses the potential to move back up in the rankings just like other fighters have done in the past, Whittaker believes.

“He’s my age, I think, so he’s got years to evolve and change his game, and to develop new skillsets. I see him developing himself and coming back with better versions of himself. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Kelvin Gastelum,” Whittaker continued.

What do you think is next for Kelvin Gastelum?

Continue Reading Robert Whittaker Explains The Predicament Kelvin Gastelum Is In at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya Heard Voices In His Head During Kelvin Gastelum Fight

Gastelum Israel AdesanyaIsrael Adesanya heard voices in his head during his UFC 236 title fight. It has been two years and four months since UFC 236. Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum went to war that night in one of the best fights in UFC history. ‘Stylebender’ won the interim UFC middleweight championship. There was a lot that was […]

Gastelum Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya heard voices in his head during his UFC 236 title fight.

It has been two years and four months since UFC 236. Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum went to war that night in one of the best fights in UFC history. ‘Stylebender’ won the interim UFC middleweight championship.

There was a lot that was going on in the mind of Adesanya that night. During an interview with the Snacks and Chats podcast, he revealed he heard voices in his head during the third round.

“Everyone has that voice in their head [that says], ‘It’s okay. Don’t worry. Just tap out, just tap out,” Adesanya said.

“I had it in the Gastelum fight. In the end of the 3rd round or fourth round, it was like, ‘you’ve done enough. You hit him with a spinning elbow. You rocked him; you dropped him. It’s okay, just chill for a bit.’ Fu*k off, shut up, go. You have to tell that voice to fu*k off because it is there. I don’t give a fu*k who you are. Mike Tyson had that voice. [Muhammad] Ali had that voice. All the greats had it, but you have to override it. It is self-preservation because that’s what your brain wants to do-it wants to protect you.”

“I was winning the fight. I remember it was a feeling of-it happens in a split second; it’s not like a prolonged thing. It is like a lot of dialogue in a split second. It was like, ‘you dropped him, you’ve shown that you’re a fuc*in champ, you did a cool spinning elbow, that’s cool. You can just chill.’ I had to tell it fuc* off, and I just went at him.”

There is an infamous clip of him saying he was prepared to die when the fifth round started.

He still loves that fifth round and says it is one of the best moments of his life.

“The fifth round is still one of the greatest moments in my life. Not just in fighting but in my life. I dug deep in that one, and I found the new level. So, yeah, that is something that no one can ever take away from me, and I’m glad because he got close. But I’m glad I got the nod,” Adesanya said.

The fight would go on to win Fight of the Night as well as Fight of the Year in 2019 and will go down as one of the best title fights in the UFC.

Kelvin Gastelum Leaves Door Open For Welterweight Return

UFC middleweight and former interim title challenger Kelvin Gastelum has hinted that he could return to 170 pounds in the near future. Since his interim championship defeat to current 185-pound king Israel Adesanya in 2019, Gastelum has been on a torrid run of form, which has seen him record just one win in his last […]

Continue Reading Kelvin Gastelum Leaves Door Open For Welterweight Return at MMA News.

UFC middleweight and former interim title challenger Kelvin Gastelum has hinted that he could return to 170 pounds in the near future.

Since his interim championship defeat to current 185-pound king Israel Adesanya in 2019, Gastelum has been on a torrid run of form, which has seen him record just one win in his last six fights. A loss to divisional newcomer Darren Till at UFC 244 was followed by a shocking first-round submission setback against Jack Hermansson last July. The 29-year-old did briefly return to the win column when he outpointed Ian Heinisch in February, but two defeats since have seen Gastelum fall to yet another losing skid.

After landing on the wrong side of a decision against the dominant Robert Whittaker in April, the TUF 17 winner had hoped to begin a change in fortune when he was in action last month. In the UFC Vegas 34 main event, Gastelum faced Jared Cannonier, who had been out of action since his own loss to “The Reaper” in 2020. Having seen the judges’ scorecards succumb him to defeat yet again, Gastelum is at a crossroads in his faltering career.

Despite the struggles he had making the weight limit at welterweight, Gastelum is now considering a potential move back down to 170 pounds in an effort to reignite his UFC tenure.

In an interview with The Schmo, the Californian suggested he could hire a dietician to help him better manage another possible stint in the lower weight class. That’s despite UFC President Dana White previously refusing to let Gastelum compete at welterweight after multiple weight misses.

“I’m thinking about. Maybe, possibly, hiring a dietitian (to help me) make the move down (to welterweight) but it’ll take some time. If I do this, I’ll be fighting next year which is most likely the case.” (h/t LowKick MMA)

UFC 200: Gastelum vs. Hendricks (Image Credit: Ray Del Rio/Getty Images)

Gastelum last competed at welterweight in 2016. At UFC 200, the 29-year-old defeated former champion Johny Hendricks, who had missed weight ahead of the bout. Gastelum’s only losses at 170 pounds came via split decisions against former champ Tyron Woodley and perennial contender Neil Magny.

He’s undoubtedly small for middleweight, and if he can manage a move back to welterweight appropriately and nail down his weight cut, Gastelum could be a force to be reckoned with at welterweight.

Do you think Kelvin Gastelum should make the switch back to welterweight?

Continue Reading Kelvin Gastelum Leaves Door Open For Welterweight Return at MMA News.