Chris Curtis takes aim at former opponent Kelvin Gastelum for ‘unprofessional’ weight miss

Chris Curtis takes verbal jabs at Kelvin Gastelum for weight cutting struggles.

Chris Curtis takes aim at former opponent Kelvin Gastelum for ‘unprofessional’ weight miss

Chris Curtis has a message for Kelvin Gastelum (via Imago/ Sports Illustrated)

Making weight in combat sports, especially MMA, is as crucial as throwing punches. UFC middleweight Chris Curtis recently shared some sage advice on the matter. This was not out of the blue, though. ‘The Action Man’ aimed this advice at none other than his former opponent, Kelvin Gastelum.

Curtis took the time to discuss weight management on social media. His words seemed to take a subtle jab at former opponent Kelvin Gastelum. This came after Kelvin Gastelum refused to fight at the contracted welterweight limit in the pivotal fight against Daniel Rodriguez at UFC Saudi Arabia.

A big part of making weight as a professional is maintaining a healthy lifestyle between fights and outside of camp. You can definitely enjoy the things you like. But maintaining discipline is what helps you reach that number on the scale. Remember, showing up is the easy part.
Chris Curtis via X
YouTube video

Chris Curtis emphasized the importance of discipline between fights and outside of training camps. The UFC veteran has a valid point, as fighters like Alexander Volkanovski and Kamaru Usman made weight at UFC 294 despite receiving the fight offer on less than two weeks’ notice. As such, the tweet may have targeted Gasetelum for the lack of discipline shown throughout his career.

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It’s not the first time Kelvin Gastelum has struggled with the scale. This recent weight miss fiasco in Saudi Arabia was his fourth weight miss in his 23 professional fights in the UFC. Even UFC CEO Dana White was disappointed in Gastelum for not making weight. Meanwhile, this recent incident has heated up the rivalry between Curtis and Gastelum. 

Chris Curtis once aimed to appeal the loss to Kelvin Gastelum

Controversies are as common as cauliflower ears in the UFC. Chris Curtis threw down the gauntlet, not in the octagon, but with the UFC. This came after the three-round barnburner against Kelvin Gastelum. He planned to appeal his controversial loss to Gastelum at UFC 287.

Chris Curtis to appeal Kelvin Gastelum loss
Chris Curtis to appeal Kelvin Gastelum loss (via MMA Mania)

The bout was filled with back-and-forth action. But when the dust settled, Gastelum’s hand was raised in victory. Curtis, however, believed he was robbed of a win due to a headbutt that somewhat gave Gastelum some momentum. The plot thickened when the new UFC rankings were released. Gastelum climbed to No. 11 in the middleweight division. Meanwhile, Curtis tumbled down to No. 15. 

I don't know man. Filing an appeal now so that's my main focus.
Chris Curtis via X

Curtis argued that had he won, he wouldn’t have received such a generous bump. Moreover, he believed the headbutt cost him, and he was forced to battle back without the referee intervening. Curtis announced his intention to file an official appeal. He was determined to get his loss averted. For Gastelum, this win was a much-needed boost as he hadn’t tasted victory in over two years.

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