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Kelvin Gastelum: The Middleweight Edition

After winning The Ultimate Fighter at middleweight in 2013, Kelvin Gastelum was convinced that his best shot at taking UFC gold would be in the 170-pound welterweight division. And while Gastelum had success in the weight class, he also had struggles with the scale, prompting periodic moves back up to 185.

Well, middleweight has apparently won this tug of war, as Gastelum will challenge Israel Adesanya for the interim 185-pound crown in the co-main event of UFC 236 on April 13, six years to the day from his Octagon debut. Clearly, there are no questions now about Gastelum’s run as a middleweight, and for proof, check out five of his best performances in the division below…

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 1: (L-R) Opponents Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya face off during the UFC 236 Press Conference inside T-Mobile Arena on March 1, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 1: (L-R) Opponents Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya face off during the UFC 236 Press Conference inside T-Mobile Arena on March 1, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.