The next UFC middleweight title fight on the calendar will go down at UFC 243 on October 6, when undisputed champion Robert Whittaker will attempt to defend his title against interim champion Israel Adesanya. Kelvin Gastelum, one of the top contenders in the division, will be watching this fight very closely.

Speaking to South China Morning Post recently, Gastelum weighed in on this middleweight title fight. He has fought Adesanya previously, losing a decision to “Stylebender” in April, and has also been scheduled to fight Whittaker, though the bout unfortunately never happened. Needless to say, he’s got some unique insight into the matchup.

Gastelum believes that Whittaker has the skills to defeat Adesanya, but hopes that Adesanya is victorious, so that he can attempt to avenge his recent loss with a title on the line.

“It’ll be an interesting fight because Israel brings a whole different skill set,” he said. “A whole variety of skills. But I think Rob has the right tools to beat him. I think he will win but selfishly I want Israel to win so I can take the title from him.”

“I just want that rematch. You lose and go over every single detail and you want to get back in there and make things right.”

Kelvin Gastelum has not fought since his decision loss to Israel Adesanya, which stands out as a 2019 Fight of the Year contender. At present, he does not have a fight booked, and with many of the UFC’s top middleweights booked, doesn’t seem to have much in the way of options at present. Stay tuned for updates on his next appearance as details emerge.

What do you think of Gastelum’s prediction for this Whittaker vs. Adesanya fight? Who do you want to see him fight next?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 7/29/2019.