UFC 200 Primer: Johny Hendricks vs. Kelvin Gastelum Head-to-Toe Breakdown
UFC 200 is an extraordinarily deep fight card featuring two upper-echelon welterweights as a preliminary contest.
Johny Hendricks (17-4), ranked No. 6 according to Bleacher Report, takes on Kelvin Gastelum (11-2) as part of the Fox Sports 1 prelims.
Both welterweights are coming off losses. Hendricks was promptly ousted by Stephen Thompson in their February meeting, and Gastelum was edged out by Neil Magny last November. A loss for either man would be devastating to their title hopes.
Hendricks and Gastelum will be watched closely from the time they arrive in Las Vegas. Both men have struggled making the 171-pound weight limit in the past. It will be a point of discussion until they officially stand on the scale during fight week.
The heavy-handed grapplers matchup well against one another, and should make for a very intriguing contest.
Which welterweight can claim victory and move back into title contention? To assist you in the lead-up to the important welterweight clash, here is the head-to-toe breakdown for Hendricks vs. Gastelum at UFC 200.
Striking
1 of 5
Hendricks and Gastelum are primarily known for their grappling inside the cage, but both men have decent striking output. According to FightMetric, the official stat provider of the UFC, they are very close, with over three significant strikes landed per minute (Hendricks lands 3.59 to Gastelum's 3.25).
Hendricks' dynamite of a left hand is typically the strike to watch for, but much like Dan Henderson's H-Bomb, it is only a singular technique—effective, but predictable. That is precisely why Gastelum gets the nod standing.
The former The Ultimate Fighter winner has more variety to his strikes. He will attack the body and head with the complete arsenal. Gastelum also will enjoy a two-inch reach advantage over Hendricks.
If Gastelum gets sucked into a brawl, it could lead to him being splayed out on the canvas. Hendricks is well-versed in winging leather with top-tier welterweights. But if he fights smart and uses his entire skill set, then he should have a clear advantage while the fight stays upright.
Edge: Gastelum
Grappling
2 of 5
Gastelum is a talented grappler in his own right, but it would be foolish to pick him over Hendricks when it comes to this category.
Hendricks is a two-time NCAA champion, and he has translated his wrestling well inside the cage. It helped him reach the ultimate level in the UFC as a world champion. While it is easy to pick Hendricks as the better grappler, it is important to talk about Gastelum's skills as well.
Gastelum's wrestling is credible, and he has solid defensive skills, too. He won't be easily lifted off his feet. Moreover, in the clinch he will have the ability to score with strikes or nullify Hendricks' game. He can stifle the Oklahoma State alum and force the fight to be separated on the feet.
Hendricks won't find it easy to put him on his back, but he is quite clearly the better grappler in this contest.
Edge: Hendricks
Submissions
3 of 5
Hendricks is not known for his submissions, but he does have them in his toolkit. He spent years training with one of the best jiu-jitsu coaches around—Marc Laimon. Do not sleep on his abilities to put the fight away on the canvas.
Even still, Gastelum is the more diverse submission stylist in this matchup.
The difficulty for Gastelum will be getting in position to utilize his skills. As mentioned on the previous slide, Hendricks is the better grappler of the two. Gastelum will more than likely find himself trying to keep guard with Hendricks on top. Actively searching for submissions may be a great way to keep Hendricks defending instead of throwing punches and elbows.
Gastelum has more options available to him in this department, and that's enough to get him the edge.
Edge: Gastelum
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X-Factor
4 of 5
The Weight Cut
Typically there is an X-factor chosen for each fighter, but in this match we will be watching the weight cut very closely. History tells us we have to keep an eye on their weigh-ins.
As Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com noted, Hendricks had to be taken to the emergency room due to a bad weight cut prior to UFC 192. The medical issue forced him off the card where he was to fight Tyron Woodley. Gastelum also missed weight in 2015 against Woodley, but he was still able to fight in a losing effort.
Cutting all the weight to get to 170 takes a toll on both men, and it can swing the pendulum drastically if done improperly.
Will Hendricks or Gastelum stand on the scale looking like Skeletor, or will they have done everything correctly? The effect of their cuts will play a large role in how this fight plays out. Keep an eye on how they look standing on the scale 24 hours before they are slated to go to work.
Prediction
5 of 5
Perhaps I'm a fool, but I'm not ready to write Hendricks off as a title contender just yet.
Life in the welterweight division hasn't been kind to him since Robbie Lawler took his belt by split decision, but his skills are undeniable. And this is a stylistic matchup that suits him well.
Gastelum is capable of winning this fight, but he isn't a dynamic, quick striker like Stephen Thompson. And he isn't Georges St-Pierre or Lawler. Gastelum is a fighter Hendricks can look stellar against by sticking to a simplistic game plan of wrestle, wrestle, wrestle.
That's what will happen at UFC 200.
Gastelum will be taken down no fewer than five occasions in their 15-minute fight. Hendricks will work tirelessly to keep putting him on the canvas. The judges will reward him with a decision nod. It won't be a barnburner, but it will be exactly what the Oklahoman needs to move back into contention at 170 pounds.
Prediction: Hendricks defeats Gastelum by unanimous decision
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