Tag: Daniel Rodriguez

Daniel Rodriguez relieved to snap three-fight skid, wants spot on UFC’s rumored event in Los Angeles

Daniel Rodriguez wants a spot on the UFC’s rumored event in Los Angeles following his win at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 244.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] entered UFC Fight Night 244 not under the best circumstances.

The UFC welterweight veteran was on a three-fight losing streak prior to his fight with Alex Morono this past Saturday at the UFC Apex. Fortunately for Rodriguez (18-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC), he was able to edge out Morono (24-11 MMA, 13-8 UFC) in a close, split decision.

“I worked so hard for this fight and for so long, you know,” Rodriguez said. “It feels great to be back in the win column.”

Some online were split on who had done enough to warrant getting their hand raised. Rodriguez felt he had a shaky start, but is confident with the3 work he put on rounds two and three.

“I feel like this fight went a little tougher than I expected to, but hat’s off to him,” Rodriguez said. “He did a great job, and he was trying to knock my head off in that first round. I knew he was going to gas out, but I just stayed composed and used my veteran skills.”

Now back in the win column, Rodriguez is hoping to fight in his hometown. Nothing has yet been made official by the promotion, but Rodriguez said he’s heard that the UFC is planning an event for the “City of Angels” at the start of 2025.

“I hear that the UFC is coming to Los Angeles in January and me being an L.A. hometown boy I feel like it’s only right for them to put me on the card. So please UFC, put me on L.A.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

UFC Fight Night 244 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Brad Tavares gets $21,000 in record bout

UFC Fight Night 244 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 244 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $186,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 244 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 244 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]JunYong Park[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Brad Tavares[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jared Gooden[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ramazan Temirov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jonathan Pearce[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Themba Gorimbo[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Sean Sharaf[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Julia Polastri[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Cory McKenna[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Cody Haddon[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dan Argueta[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Clayton Carpenter[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucas Rocha[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,630; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-63 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $6,488,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $29,225,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

Alex Morono vs. Daniel Rodriguez prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 244

Alex Morono has struggled with southpaws in the past. Will Daniel Rodriguez give him problems at UFC Fight Night 244?

[autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 244 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

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Alex Morono vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC Fight Night 244 preview

Morono (24-10 MMA, 13-7 UFC) has traded wins and losses over his last six fights. In his most recent outing in June, Morono dropped a unanimous decision to Niko Price. Before that, Morono was on the right side of a unanimous decision against Cour McGee in April. … Rodriguez (17-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) has his back against the wall as a loser of three straight. His most recent outing was a unanimous decision loss vs. Kelvin Gastelum in June. “D-Rod’s” last victory was a split decision over Li Jingliang in September 2022.

Alex Morono vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC Fight Night 244 expert pick, prediction

Filling out the main card is a welterweight bout between Morono and Rodriguez.

Although I’m a big fan of Morono, I can see why he’s the underdog in this spot.

Aside from having more miles on him than Rodriguez, Morono has traditionally struggled against southpaws on the feet, going 1-2 against UFC-level lefties. Even in Morono’s lone southpaw win against Tim Means, “The Dirty Bird” was piecing him up on the feet before Morono was able to pull out a hail-mary submission win.

So long as Rodriguez can avoid the same fate, I suspect he should have the edge in exchanges here.

This fight going the distance wouldn’t shock me, but I’ll pick somewhat begrudgingly take Rodriguez to clip a tiring Morono for a TKO win late into Round 2.

Alex Morono vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC Fight Night 244 odds

The oddsmakers and the public favor the older fighter, listing Rodriguez -215 and Morono +172 via FanDuel.

Alex Morono vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC Fight Night 244 start time, how to watch

Morono and Rodriguez are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 7:35 p.m. ET (4:35 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

Daniel Rodriguez accepted risk vs. Kelvin Gastelum at UFC on ABC 6 but ‘that’s why there’s weight classes’

After his UFC Saudi Arabia loss, Daniel Rodriguez opens up about accepting the fight vs. Kelvin Gastelum up a weight class.

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] exited UFC on ABC 6 with a positive mindset, but also the thought his fight would’ve gone differently if opponent [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] fought at welterweight.

The bout took place at middleweight rather than welterweight after Gastelum showed up overweight for fight week and asked for the switch. Rodriguez, along with the UFC, negotiated new terms with Gastelum. However, Rodriguez ultimately lost the bout by unanimous decision at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“That’s why there’s weight classes,” Rodriguez wrote on his Instagram story after the fight.

Rodriguez also posted a pair of selfie videos. During the first, Rodriguez pointed out Gastelum’s strong cardio, something he hypothesized would not have been a factor had the cut to welterweight transpired.

“So, sh*t didn’t really go my way. It’s the fight game,” Rodriguez said. “That sh*t happens. I took the risk. There’s no way I was going to come all the way out here and not fight. I guarantee if that fight was at 170 pounds, he wouldn’t have had the energy to take me down. He wouldn’t have been as strong. And he wouldn’t have been able to take most of my punches. I ain’t going to dwell on it and sh*t. I thugged it out and kept it G. I repped the city and I can’t wait to come home. Shout out to all the fans. Y’all some real ones. To my family and my kids, I can’t wait to come home. I miss you guys and I’m going to bounce back. F*ck it.”

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Shortly thereafter, Rodriguez posted a second video with a more upbeat approach, where he voiced the positives that came from the experience despite the loss. He revealed that he received a new contract with a pay bump ahead of the fight, plus received 30 percent of Gastelum’s purse.

“All right, y’all. I’m done complaining about the fight. F*ck it. It happened,” Rodriguez said. “I knew the risk. With the risk, came great rewards. I lost the fight but I gained so much more in return: a ton a respect from the fight community, a nice raise, six-fight contract, 30 percent of his f*cking (purse). I can’t even be mad. Yeah, I wanted the win but I want so much more in the end. I knew the risk. I took it, put on a hell of a show. The fans love me. I love y’all. My kids are proud. My family is proud. I lost but I won. F*ck it. I can’t wait to get home from the airport and love life baby. Let’s go.”

Rodriguez, 37, has lost three-straight fights. It’s unclear what his next move is. As for Gastelum, he’s won two of his most recent three. UFC CEO Dana White voiced disappointment in Gastelum’s pre-fight behavior during a post-fight news conference.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

UFC on ABC 6 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Ikram Aliskerov gets $4,000 in main event save

UFC on ABC 6 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $186,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ABC 6 took place Saturday at Kingdom Arena. The main card airs on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC on ABC 6 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Ikram Aliskerov[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Antonio Trocoli[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Felipe Lima[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Muhammad Naimov[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Rinat Fakhretdinov[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Muin Gafurov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kyung Ho Kang[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Magomed Gadzhiyasulov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Brendson Ribeiro[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]ChangHo Lee[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Xiao Long[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $40,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-40 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,637,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $26,374,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

UFC on ABC 6 results: Kelvin Gastelum apologizes to Dana White after beating Daniel Rodriguez

At UFC Saudi Arabia, Kelvin Gastelum again apologized for a weight mishap – but looked fresh as he cruised to victory.

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] admits his actions were “unacceptable” ahead of, and during, fight week – but he walked away with a win anyway.

At UFC on ABC 6 on Saturday, Gastelum (19-9 MMA, 13-9 UFC) defeated [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). The bout was part of the main card at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

At the beginning of fight week, and obviously from the time it was signed, the bout was slated for welterweight. However, failed weight preparation by Gastelum resulted in the fight being bumped to middleweight. Rodriguez claimed he asked for a 180-pound catchweight, but Gastelum was unable to oblige.

So after three competitive rounds of fighting during which both men found success on the feet, Gastelum apologized to Dana White and Hunter Campbell for the blunder.

“Dana, Hunter, man, I want to be the best company man that I can be,” Gastelum said during his in-cage interview. “I have the best intentions for this company. I love the UFC. I want to stay in the UFC forever, for as long as I can. I’m sorry. What happened this week was unacceptable. So I promise I will be better. I know I’ve said that before, but I’m not a perfect person. I always try to be better. It is what it is.”

Gastelum looked fresh throughout his performance Saturday as Rodriguez wore down, mouth agape for much of the fight. While both men landed their share of strikes, Gastelum successfully integrated his wrestling on the advice of corners Eddie Cha and Santino Defranco, which may have won him the round.

With the victory, Gastelum wins for the third time in his most recent four appearances and bounces back from a December loss to Sean Brady.

Rodriguez falls into a three-fight skid that also includes losses to Neil Magny and Ian Machado Garry.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ABC 6 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC on ABC 6

A potential war between Kelvin Gastelum and Daniel Rodriguez could erupt at UFC on ABC 6. Who will come out the victor?

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ABC 6 from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.  

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC on ABC 6 preview

Originally booked as a welterweight fight, Gastelum vs. Rodriguez was moved to middleweight when Gastelum admitted to a tough weight cut during fight week and Rodriguez agreed to move up. … Gastelum (18-9 MMA, 12-9 UFC) is in need of a spark after losing by third-round submission to Sean Brady last December, which marked his sixth loss in his past eight bouts dating back to 2019. … Rodriguez (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) also needs a victory to avoid a dreaded three-fight losing skid. He’s coming off back-to-back losses to Neil Magny in 2022 and Ian Machado Garry in May 2023.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC on ABC 6 expert pick, prediction

Serving as the lone southpaw vs. southpaw fight on the card is a potential war between [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag].

This fight was originally slated to take place at welterweight, but with Gastelum citing troubles with his weight cut, the bout has officially been moved to 185 pounds.

Despite this significantly favoring Gastelum on paper, I’m not sure I like this matchup for the former middleweight from a stylistic perspective.

Not only could Gastelum easily be 1-3-1 against UFC-level lefties if close calls opposite Rick Story and Chris Curtis go against him, but “The Ultimate Fighter” winner tends to somewhat follow his opposition in predictable patterns.

Should Gastelum get too complacent this weekend, then he could be in for a rude awakening in the form of Rodriguez counter punches.

I suspect this will play out close and competitively no matter which way it swings, so I’ll take a flier on the underdog Rodriguez to score a surprising club-and-sub in Round 2.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC on ABC 6 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the former interim middleweight title challenger, listing Gastelum (-230) and Rodriguez (+184) via FanDuel.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez UFC on ABC 6 start time, how to watch

As the featured bout on the main card, Gastelum and Rodriguez are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 4:15 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ABC and streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

UFC on ABC 6: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6 odds between Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez, with MMA picks and predictions.

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In a 3-round middleweight bout on the main card, Kelvin Gastelum and Daniel Rodriguez meet Saturday at UFC on ABC 6 — also known as UFC Saudi Arabia — at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ABC 6: Gastelum vs. Rodriguez odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The prelims begin at noon ET and can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 3 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN+.

Records: Gastelum (18-9-0) | Rodriguez (17-4-0)

The 32-year-old veteran Gastelum is looking to bounce back after a 3rd-round submission loss to Sean Brady last time out in early December. Prior to that, he had 4 straight unanimous decisions, with 2 wins and 2 losses in those outings. He has ended up going the distance in 7 of his past 9 bouts.

Gastelum fought Israel Adesanya for the middleweight strap in April 2019 at UFC 236, but he lost that fight, and he is now 2-6 in his past 8 fights, and simply looking to hang on with the company.

Rodriguez has dropped his past 2 fights, losing via 1st-round KO/TKO to Ian Machado Garry in May 2023 and suffering a submission loss to Neil Magny in Nov. 2022. His most recent win came via split decision against Li Jingliang at UFC 279, and he has ended up going the distance in 4 of his past 7 events.

The 37-year-old southpaw Rodriguez has an impressive 7.30 significant strikes landed per minute mark, with Gastelum checking in at just 3.55 per minute. Rodriguez is much more accurate, too, landing 51.72% of those strikes, to just 46.44% for Gastelum.

Gastelum has a 0.96-to-0.62 takedown average advantage, while Rodriguez is more accurate in that department, too, posting a 50.00% takedown accuracy percentage, to just 30.65% for the veteran Gastelum. The difference in submission average is rather negligible.

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UFC on ABC 6: Gastelum vs. Rodriguez odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:50 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Gastelum -210 (bet $210 to win $100) | Rodriguez +175 (bet $100 to win $175)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -225 | No +165)

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UFC on ABC 6: Gastelum vs. Rodriguez picks and predictions

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

Backing Gastelum (-210) straight up will set you back more than 2 times your potential return. That’s risky because it is so expensive, and because the veteran has won just 2 times in the past 8 bouts.

Rodriguez (+175) is tempting at this price based on his tremendous significant strikes advantage, both in frequency and accuracy. However, he has fought a lot of tomato cans in his UFC career, and he has wilted against some of the better competition.

With both of these fighters going the distance so frequently, GASTELUM BY DECISION (+100) on the 5-way or 7-way line at even-money is a much better value. Of course, if he scores a KO/TKO or submission win, you do not cash, so be careful.

Over/Under (O/U)

Yes (-225): Will the fight go the distance? sets your back more than 2 times. That’s super expensive, so PASS on that as a straight up wager.

However, it isn’t a bad idea to toss in YES (-225) as part of a multi-leg parlay.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.

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Kelvin Gastelum confident he’s ‘superior’ to Daniel Rodriguez ahead of UFC on ABC 6

Kelvin Gastelum is confident he can get back to his winning ways starting this Saturday at UFC on ABC 6.

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]’s career could use a win this Saturday. After struggling to maintain a winning streak in recent years, the UFC veteran firmly believes his best career days are around the corner.

Gastelum returns on the main card of UFC on ABC 6, which takes place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Gastelum (18-9 MMA, 12-9 UFC) takes on fellow veteran [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag].

Gastelum is confident he’ll be able to return to the win column, as he sees himself better than Rodriguez (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in all areas of the fight game.

But in a late twist, the fight will take place at middleweight after Gastelum revealed a struggle with the weight cut to 170 pounds, at which the bout was contracted.

“I’ve obviously fought against many former champions and elite level fighters, right, so I think I just need to go in there and stay focused on the strategy I’ve established with my team,” Gastelum told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “D-Rod does many things well. He’s a good boxer and we need to be careful with certain things. Overall, I truly feel superior to him in every aspect – the standup and the ground game.

“I feel very confident in my abilities and that I’m the better fighter. I’m ready to fight wherever the fight goes.”

Gastelum moved back down to welterweight and changed his team from Kings MMA in California to Fight Ready in Arizona. He made big career changes in preparation for his last outing, which unfortunately didn’t pan out for him.

“It’s very tough to get up again and again and again, but that’s what a fighter does,” Gastelum said when asked bout his loss to Sean Brady last December. “We fight every day. It’s unfortunate I wasn’t able to show how much I’ve evolved and improved because the fight didn’t go as I thought it would. However, this time around, I feel very good and very confident in my preparation. I feel good.”

Gastelum is 2-6 in his past eight bouts, where he competed against some of the best in the world at 185 and 170 pounds. Although he’s been in the UFC for over a decade, at just 32, Gastelum said he thinks there’s plenty left in his career.

“I still think I can do this, and I think my better days are ahead of me,” Gastelum said. “That’s how I truly feel.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

Daniel Rodriguez agrees to 185 pounds after Kelvin Gastelum admits struggle to make 170 for UFC Saudi Arabia

Kelvin Gastelum continues to have issues on the scale.

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] continues to have issues on the scale.

Gastelum (18-9 MMA, 12-9 UFC) is scheduled to face [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in a welterweight bout on Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6 (ABC/ESPN/ESPN+) main card at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Gastelum, who moved up to middleweight after missing weight twice at 170 pounds, opted to move back down to welterweight in his most recent fight. He successfully made weight, but was submitted by Sean Brady in December.

However, Gastelum admitted he’s having difficulties cutting down to welterweight for his fight against Rodriguez, in what he described as a rough training camp.

“To be honest, this has been a pretty hard training camp,” Gastelum said during Thursday’s UFC on ABC 6 media day (h/t MMA Crazy). “There’s a lot of things that went on behind the scenes that a lot of people don’t know, don’t get to see, but it’s been pretty hard to get my weight down and get down to weight this time around – harder than last time.

“… I am pretty worried this week, but we’re going to talk with the manager and come up with the best game plan. But, I think we’re in for a rough weight cut.”

Rodriguez said he was contacted by the UFC about Gastelum’s weight struggles and he wasn’t pleased about it.

“Actually, the matchmakers reached out and I tried to get it to a catchweight, but he must be having such a bad fight camp that he can’t even make 180,” Rodriguez said. “I’m currently 179 pounds, so I have to put weight back on.

“It’s been 13 weeks since I found out about this fight. I’m sure he has, too. So the fact that he’s saying that he’s having a bad fight camp (for the weight cut) makes no sense. I feel like it’s lack of discipline. I don’t know if he’s having a bad fight camp or he’s just being lazy and doesn’t want to make the weight.”

Rodriguez said he accepted to now have his fight against Gastelum take place at middleweight. Having lost two straight, Rodriguez thinks he was in no position to decline the weight change.

“I already agreed to 185,” Rodriguez said. “I’m so invested in this fight. It put me in a really tough spot. I need this fight to happen. It’s been such a long fight camp and I did agree to take a percentage of his purse, which is only fair.

“I just felt like 180 would have been a good weight, but it’s not my first time coming through for the company, and I want the UFC to know that I’m that guy that’s going to make the sacrifices even if it’s not in my favor. … In the sense of being a professional, I feel like I lost a little respect for the guy.”

Late afternoon Thursday in Saudi Arabia, Gastelum posted on social media that he wanted the fight at 175 pounds, but Rodriguez countered with middleweight.

Regardless of how it transpired down the stretch, they signed for 170 pounds, and though the UFC hasn’t made a formal announcement – the bout is listed as welterweight at UFC.com – it appears middleweight indeed is the division in which the fight will take place.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.