At UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov, Gastelum makes a detour back to 185 pounds to face Daniel Rodriguez, who is desperate for a win in his own right. The 37-year-old made a quick climb after making his UFC debut in February 2020, scoring wins against Tim Means, Mike Perry and Kevin Lee in his first couple of years on the roster. Back-to-back losses to Neil Magny and Ian Machado Garry stymied his momentum, but he sees Gastelum as a marquee name that would put him back into the mix.
When thinking about the matchup, Gastelum respects Rodriguez’s boxing and defensive grappling, but also believes he is “a little bit better everywhere.”
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For Gastelum’s part, he is well-aware of where he is at in his career currently. A title fight is a ways down the road, and so his performance on June 22 needs to put him back on track. Nothing but a win will kickstart that second run for which he is so keen.
“I always want to make a statement, especially since I feel like I have my back up against the wall,” Gastelum said. “I want to be able to prove to everyone that I’m still here. I’m still very relevant.”