Is Kelvin Gastelum Mexican? All you need to know about the explosive welterweight fighter's heritage and background
Kelvin Gastelum is a UFC fighter who has been competing in the multi-billion dollar promotion for over a decade. During that time, the 32-year-old has competed in the welterweight and middleweight division.
Gastelum was born on October 24, 1991 in San Jose, California. He is of Mexican heritage and his family is from Obregon, Sonoro, a state in the country of Mexico. He has spent a part of his childhood in Obregon. Later, Gastelum moved to Arizona in the United States.
Gastelum was also a part of UFC 180, the promotion's first event to take place in Mexico. The card was held on November 15, 2014 at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City. An interim heavyweight title clash between Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt headlined the card.
Gastelum took on Jake Ellenberger in a welterweight showdown in the co-main event of the fight card. The former made quick work of his opponent and submitted him with a rear-naked choke in the first round of the fight.
Gastelum has been a part of 22 UFC fights and has gotten his hand raised in 12 of them. During his UFC tenure, the 32-year-old has shared the octagon with the several prominent fighters like Uriah Hall, Tyron Woodley, Neil Magny, Johny Hendricks, Tim Kennedy, Vitor Belfort, Chris Weidman, Michael Bisping, Ronaldo Souza, Israel Adesanya, Darren Till, Jack Hermansson, Robert Whittaker, Jared Cannonier and Sean Brady.
When will Kelvin Gastelum compete again?
Kelvin Gastelum is all set to return to action at the upcoming UFC Saudi Arabia card which will take place on June 22. The event will be held at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
He will lock horns against Daniel Rodriguez in a welterweight scrap on the main card. The Saudi Arabia event will be headlined by a middleweight clash between Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov.
Gastelum is currently going through a rough patch in the UFC. The California native has managed to win only two of his last eight encounters.
Rodriguez, on the other hand, is also on a two-fight skid in the UFC.
So, both fighters will look to turn things around come June 22 and return to winning ways.