ABU DHABI – [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] isn’t paying any attention to [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]’s recent octagon woes.
Hermansson (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) faces Gastelum in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN+ 30 this Saturday at Yas Island and despite Gastelum’s two-fight losing streak, he won’t underestimate him.
Gastelum’s two losses have come in a “Fight of the Year” effort against current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in April 2019 and a lackluster decision loss to Darren Till last November at UFC 244.
Hermansson is expecting the version of Gastelum (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) that took Adesanya to the brink.
[lawrence-related id=535835,531033]
“I’m expecting the best Kelvin,” Hermansson told MMA Junkie and other reporters Thursday. “That’s what I need to do, and his performance against Adesanya, even though he lost, was a great one, and I think that’s the Kelvin that I’m going to face on Saturday.”
He continued, “I picture myself in a hard, tough battle, but at the same time, I’m going to look for the finish from the start to the end, so my goal is to finish the fight.”
Another pivotal middleweight clash between former UFC champ Robert Whittaker and Till will take place just a week after UFC on ESPN+ 30, and Hermansson can’t help but have his eye on the matchup.
“Former champ vs. Till that has a huge following and is a funny dude and is gonna make a lot of buzz around the fight, so I’d love any of them,” he said.
[vertical-gallery id=535894]