Bisping, Chiesa beat Kelvin Gastelum with 'empty promises' at UFC on ABC 6: 'Shame on you'

Following Saturday's broadcast of UFC on ABC 6, the UFC Hall of Famer and perennial welterweight contender was hardly reserved in his comments.

Kelvin Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) defeated Daniel Rodriguez (17-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) by unanimous decision on the main card in Saudi Arabia. Gastelum was the heavyweight favorite going into the bout, but the contract was signed for the bout at welterweight. Coming into fight week, Gastelum was a heavyweight, and even though Rodriguez offered him a catchweight of 180 pounds, Gastelum clearly couldn't make the weight.

The bout was settled at middleweight, where Gastelum has competed for the majority of his career after making multiple attempts at welterweight several years ago, only to have fights canceled due to weight issues and a lot of drama. However, he made a successful return to 170 pounds late in 2023, and heading into UFC on ABC 6, it was presumed that this would be his new weight class.

Gastelum angered many by blundering into the fight and then requesting to fight at 15 pounds heavier without informing UFC or his opponent until much later in the week. After the fight, UFC Hall of Famer and former middleweight champion Michael Bisping, who was commentating on the ABC broadcast, blasted Gastelum for his win over Bisping.

“[Rodriguez]was restricting his calories[while training],” Bisping said on the ESPN+ post-fight show. “He wasn't eating carbs to recover from training. He was taking it so seriously that he was going to lose muscle and stuff. He wanted to stay at 170 pounds and Gastelum obviously didn't do that during training camp. So he's going to be stronger, more athletic, recover from training quicker, come into the fight stronger and heavier.”

“It was a great fight by both fighters. I think Daniel Rodriguez should be proud. He really, really pushed Gastelum to the limit. Gastelum was able to keep up a good pace for 15 minutes despite being heavier. The takedown in the third round was crucial as Rodriguez started to get his sights on the cage. It was a great fight. It really was. Both fighters should be proud. But Kelvin Gastelum should be ashamed of himself regarding his weight situation.”

Current UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa, who was with Bisping on the post-fight show, also criticized Gastelum, focusing on the post-fight in-cage interview between Gastelum and Daniel Cormier, during which Gastelum was asked about the weigh-in error and apologized to Dana White and UFC, said he was trying to become a company man, and would never do something like that again.

However, Chiesa seemed to suggest he knew all along that Gastelum had no intention of fighting at welterweight.

“The pace that Kelvin Gastelum maintained for the 15 minutes of the fight shows that he didn't try to make weight, because if you're really struggling and trying to make weight and failing, you can't maintain that kind of pace,” Chiesa said. “It shows that he didn't try. And the fact that he totally dodged Daniel Cormier's question in the post-fight interview… he asked, 'Hey, why didn't you make weight?' and Kelvin totally dodged it and repeated it again. I don't want to be harsh on him, but I have to. That's part of my job. You made another empty promise that you're never going to do that again.”

“This has happened too many times with Kelvin Gastelum. He should never be allowed to sign a contract to fight at welterweight again.”

Gastelum won season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter as a middleweight over 11 years ago. He dropped down to welterweight for his next bout, but missed weight for the first time after two bouts at 170 pounds. A few bouts later, he missed weight by 10 pounds for his bout with Tyron Woodley. He was asked to move up to middleweight, but returned to 170 pounds after one bout.

However, the scale issues soon returned, and he refused to even step on the scale for his bout with Donald Cerrone at UFC 205. At the time, White said he would never fight at 170 pounds for the UFC again.

And at middleweight, despite White saying he would never allow it, Gastelum returned to 170 pounds in December and stayed there for years before losing by submission to Shawn Brady. After the weight debacle in Saudi Arabia, White again voiced his disappointment, but it remains to be seen what weight class Gastelum will fight at next.

“We're talking about being a professional mixed martial artist,” Bisping said, “and I always say there are only two things you can control: making weight, that's the most important thing, and being in shape. If you can't make weight and you get tired after one round, find something else to do, because this isn't for you. You're supposed to be the best professional mixed martial artist on the planet.”

“You both sign a contract, tickets are sold based on that, you could be competing in the world championships, and if you're 15 pounds overweight and don't make it, it's embarrassing.”

For more on the card, check out MMA Junkie's UFC on abc 6 event hub.