Former UFC middleweight title challenger follows in Alex Pereira's footsteps announcing move to 170lbs

It seems Alex Pereira announcing his move away from the middleweight division has inspired other middleweights to follow suit. According to reports, former UFC middleweight title challenger Kelvin Gastelum is now eyeing a move down to welterweight and is looking to book a fight for September.

Carlos Contreras Legaspi of ESPN Deportes recently reported that Gastelum confirmed his welterweight move to them and that the UFC top brass has signed off on it. He tweeted:

​

"Kelvin Gastélum told us he is coming back to welterweight, UFC executives agreed with the move, and he expects to get a fight in September."

Carlos Contreras Legaspi

@CCLegaspi

Kelvin Gastélum told us he is coming back to welterweight, UFC executives agreed with the move and he expects to get a fight in September. twitter.com/espndeportes/s…

ESPN Deportes

@ESPNDeportes

Área de combate con @CCLegaspi @KelvinGastelum y @UFCEspanol este lunes para hablar de su participación en #UFC287 y todo lo que sucedió en el pasado #UFCFightNight

125

23

Área de combate con @CCLegaspi @KelvinGastelum y @UFCEspanol este lunes para hablar de su participación en #UFC287 y todo lo que sucedió en el pasado #UFCFightNight https://t.co/FMzlPBuVMz

Kelvin Gastélum told us he is coming back to welterweight, UFC executives agreed with the move and he expects to get a fight in September. twitter.com/espndeportes/s…

In a follow-up tweet, the veteran MMA journalist also reported that Gastelum will be roping in Dana White's nutritionist to help him make the move to welterweight. White was recently in the spotlight for his incredibly shredded physique.

Carlos Contreras Legaspi

@CCLegaspi

He also said He will work with Dana White’s nutritionist to make the move

14

He also said He will work with Dana White’s nutritionist to make the move

Kelvin Gastelum has fought at welterweight in the past and isn't new to competing in the division. Interestingly, the 31-year-old had called out Dricus du Plessis for a middleweight title eliminator fight and seemed keen on getting back into championship contention.

While it seems the middleweight division has lost two of its stars, fans can look forward to some very intriguing matchups. For instance, former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka recently expressed his excitement to face a striker like Alex Pereira in the cage.

---

Alex Pereira next fight: Jiri Prochazka on 'Poatan' moving up to light heavyweight

Former middleweight champion Alex Pereira announced his move to the 205-pound division soon after losing his title to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287. The Brazilian claimed that while he can still make weight to compete in the middleweight division, he sees the light heavyweight division as a more suitable fit for him.

As expected, many are excited about 'Poatan' moving up to a more natural weight class. While many potential matchups have been speculated upon, former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka is looking forward to welcoming 'Poatan' to the 205-pound division.

In a recent interview with LowKick MMA, Prochazka outlined why he's pumped about Alex Pereira joining their ranks:

"Nice stand-up style guy, a lot of skills, and I'm looking forward to seeing him in our division because he is high. He's very good for our division... I'm glad to see guys like him in our division because it's a new opportunity to show the best from us because he's good."

After an incredible run towards securing light heavyweight gold, 'Denisa' suffered a horrific shoulder injury that forced him to vacate the title. He is expected to return later this year.

Watch the full interview below:

​

​

​