4 Fights to Make for Kelvin Gastelum
Kelvin Gastelum looked fantastic in his UFC 180 win over Jake Ellenberger on Saturday. After he weathered some big shots from The Juggernaut, a late first-round scramble allowed The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 winner to take his opponent's back and end the bout with a rear-naked choke.
This result is significant for Gastelum, who should expect some opportunities to face bigger names in the near future. These four men would serve as interesting opponents for his next showing in the Octagon.
These opponents provide a mix of experience, fighting styles and abilities that could truly test how far Gastelum has come in his young mixed martial arts career.
No. 1: Demian Maia
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Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia had a bit of a resurgence after moving down to welterweight. Even though he has lost two of his last three, he is a tough out for any man in this weight class.
No. 2: Tyron Woodley
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Tyron Woodley is a big name in the UFC's welterweight division. As controversy continues between him and his teammate, Hector Lombard, the former Missouri wrestler has not been paired in any upcoming bouts. He recently found himself on the cusp of a title shot before losing to Rory MacDonald at UFC 174.
If Gastelum could overcome Woodley's powerful punching and wrestling, it would be the type of victory that could place him on the short list of eventual challengers.
No. 3: Jordan Mein
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A pairing against Jordan Mein would create a matchup of two young competitors with bright futures in the UFC. Mein has looked very good in his three wins in the Octagon. He even got off to a strong start against Matt Brown in their 2013 matchup before being stopped in Round 2.
Mein is much more experienced than Gastelum, despite being close in age. (Mein is 25, and Gastelum is 23.) His diversity in striking and submission skills would make for a difficult test. If Mein can defeat Thiago Alves at UFC 183, this would be a captivating fight to make.
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No. 4: Thiago Alves
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Thiago Alves is a forgotten name in the UFC's welterweight division. After dealing with multiple injuries that threatened to shorten his career, the Brazilian competitor is finally 100 percent. If he can defeat Mein at UFC 183, that would be a much-needed victory to give his name some relevance in the weight class once again.
He would be another veteran opponent for Gastelum with more than 13 years of MMA action to his credit, giving the young finger the opportunity to add a valuable win to his resume.
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