Daniel Rodriguez and Kelvin Gastelum have been initially slated to battle on the UFC Saudi Arabia essential card in a welterweight contest. The match will now happen within the middleweight division after Gastelum had issued slicing weight.
Gastelulm has missed weight a number of occasions previously and had returned to the welterweight division in his final battle in December. Throughout the UFC Saudi Arabia Media Day, Rodriguez defined the state of affairs and mentioned that he ‘misplaced just a little respect’ for Gastelum due to it.
“Matchmakers reached out and I attempted to get it to a catchweight, however he should be having such a foul battle camp that he can’t even make 180. It’s been 13 weeks since I came upon about this battle. I’m certain he has, too. So the truth that he’s saying that he’s having a foul battle camp is unnecessary. I really feel prefer it’s lack of self-discipline. I don’t know if Kelvin Gastelum is having a foul battle camp or he’s simply being lazy and doesn’t wish to make the burden,” Rodriguez mentioned.
“I already agreed to 185. I’m so invested on this battle. It put me in a extremely powerful spot. I want this battle to occur. It’s been such an extended battle camp and I did conform to take a proportion of his purse, which is simply truthful. I simply felt like 180 would have been weight, but it surely’s not my first time coming by means of for the corporate, and I would like the UFC to know that I’m that man that’s going to make the sacrifices even when it’s not in my favor,” Rodriguez continued. “Within the sense of being an expert, I really feel like I misplaced just a little respect for the man.”
Saturday marks the battle promotion’s first journey to Saudi Arabia. The occasion is headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker and rising star Ikram Aliskerov.
