So how do we explain Israel vs. Kelvin Gastelum?

[matrixremaster]

Gastelum is talented, but a gatekeeper WW striker with no real credentials who was drastically outsized and he put it on Israel that night and gave him a pretty hellish beating but lost via decision.

 

[goOb]

I think Kelvin is on his way to earning the rematch. Give him a few more and I would like to see it.

 

[spinup]

Style make fights. Short stocky guy, iron chin and durable, with excellent boxing and good at closing distance fast.
And Izzy also beat the living crap out of him.

 

[Pechan]

Kevin was a pretty good fighter but sometimes they give it all in a performance and still come short and never look the same, it happened with Moraes and Dom Reyes too.

 

[Yellowcrab]

gave him a pretty hellish beating but lost via decision.

That's Gastelum that got the worst beating among both and by far.

 

[jeff7b9]

Kelvin had a great performance. He is durable as fuck, has solid boxing and was highly effective that night at forcing the fight to a range and pace that was successful for him.

He also got dropped several times and arguably could have been stopped in the 5th.

Gastelum is one of those weird fighters who can have a very close fight with an elite guy and also have a very competitive fight with a guy outside the top 10. Some guys just wind-up in knock down drag out brawls, they tend to have tons of heart, great chin, good recovery, but maybe can get a little sloppy or have some other physical attributes that make it so they don't put guys away.

Examples:
Gilbert Melendez
Frankie
Paul Felder
Masvidal

 

[Natural Order]

Tapology has this as the fourth greatest MMA fight of all-time.

https://www.tapology.com/rankings/all-time-greatest-fights-in-mma-and-ufc-history

Good fight, but fourth ever? rofl

 

[Mike]

Kelvin was a great fighter and was at the peak of his career.

 

[Trabaho]

Different nights different fights. It's not that deep and nothing is set in stone. Don't do MMA Math.

Logical outcomes don't always happen.

Jardine beat Chuck then lost to Houston Alexander.

Spider lost to some negative score Asian guy

 

[ThaiSexPills]

Kelvin could drop to WW with some discipline and go on a title run and maybe even win. He’s a good fighter with a lack of discipline holding him back from his true potential.

Stylistically though, he matches up good with Izzy.

 

[r-harper-1]

Izzy a lot better now and Gastalum is worse …..I think the wrestling threat was more worrisome to Izzy at the time …..If they fought again Izzy stops him in one sided fashion

 

[r-harper-1]

Kevin was a pretty good fighter but sometimes they give it all in a performance and still come short and never look the same, it happened with Moraes and Dom Reyes too.

Giving that much of yourself and coming up just short is a difficult pill to swallow….plus the round 5 damage

 

[matrixremaster]

It's true that Kelvin is talented, but I never saw Silva get touched up like that against way better and bigger guys like Hendo or Vitor in his prime.

Nobody could compete with Anderson in the striking until he was 38.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Kelvin has great boxing, and is very durable. Him being undersized at MW isn't much of an issue against someone like Izzy who doesn't use grappling offensively. Kelvin matches up well with Izzy.

 

[GoshiShun17]

Tapology has this as the fourth greatest MMA fight of all-time.

https://www.tapology.com/rankings/all-time-greatest-fights-in-mma-and-ufc-history

Good fight, but fourth ever? rofl

It could arguably be first

 

[spinup]

Tapology has this as the fourth greatest MMA fight of all-time.

https://www.tapology.com/rankings/all-time-greatest-fights-in-mma-and-ufc-history

Good fight, but fourth ever? rofl

Tapology rankings are batshit crazy nowadays.
At HW, they rank Blaydes and Gane higher than Jones and Ngannou.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Gastelum has many good attributes.. he has an amazing chin, never ever been knocked out or finished with strikes, he has been hit flush by many guys but he just eats it, his chin is outstanding

Next thing is that he has amazing hand speed, he has really good hand speed, his hands are lightning fast and he can get off combo's rapid, this is one way he benefits at MW, they just ain't got his hand speed

You are always gonna be in danger against Gastelum because his hands are fast and powerful and the fact he has a chin from God means he can eat a few too give a few and get in close.

 

[Young Calf Kick]

Not that it’s all that relevant for this particular scenario, but when discussing matchups, people on here always seem to think the outcome of any matchup will always be the same if the fighters would fight multiple times.

Just like in every other sport, it’s not just about who’s the better fighter or team. The better fighter or team could have a shit performance and lose. Gastelum had a great performance against a guy he was supposed to lose against and in the end he did lose, but he made it hella close.

there is nothing to explain here. It’s just another moment in time where there’s a fight and one guy lost, the other won.

 

[drbolony]

Gastelum is talented, but a gatekeeper WW striker with no real credentials who was drastically outsized and he put it on Israel that night and gave him a pretty hellish beating but lost via decision.

Let me break it down to you in terms you understand mijo:

Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya

2x UFC Middleweight Champion
8x Championship wins (2nd at MW)
5x Title Defenses (2nd at MW)
Defeated/Avenged all opponents at MW
Most KD's in a title fight (4)(Gastelum)
Most KD's at MW (13)(T-1st)
8x Performance Bonus Winner(T-2nd)
​

 

[AmonTobin]

How do we explain why he lost? Izzy was better.