Kennedy unconcerned with Gastelum's weight issues: 'He's the real deal'
Tim Kennedy is expecting the best Kelvin Gastelum to show up on Saturday.
Kennedy and Gastelum face off on the main card of UFC 206 in Toronto, a middleweight bout that only came together after other options fell through for both men.
Coming off of a 26-month break, Kennedy was supposed to fight former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at UFC 205, then UFC 206. Problems with Evans' medicals prevented him from receiving a license to fight in either New York or Ontario, so Kennedy was paired up with Gastelum instead.
Gastelum also had a fight booked for UFC 205, but he could not make the 170-pound limit and was subsequently removed from a welterweight bout with Donald Cerrone. After paying a fine to the New York State Athletic Commission for failing to make weight, he was freed from a suspension to face Kennedy at UFC 206.
Kennedy recently told Submission Radio that he has been eyeing a bout with Gastelum for some time, so the short notice nature of the bout didn't affect his training.
"I'm very, very excited to prepare for this fight," Kennedy said, according to Jim Edwards of FloCombat. "He's a tough guy, under-appreciated, underrated, very durable, very tough, hard to knockout, hard to submit, you know, powerhouse with his hands, great wrestling. If you look at his record right now, it's like 15-2 or something, with his two losses being very close split decisions. He's the real deal."
As for Gastelum's history of weigh-in drama (he has failed to make weight on three separate occasions), none of that matters to Kennedy so long as they successfully hit the scale this Friday.
"That has nothing to do with me," Kennedy said. "I am focused on what I'm supposed to do and hopefully he'll make 185 pounds. If that doesn't happen, then that will affect me and that will be a different story. You know, we're professional athletes."
The last thing the 37-year-old Kennedy needs is his fight with Gastelum to be canceled, delaying his return to action even further. Prior to his extended time on the sidelines, Kennedy was entrenched in the middleweight contenders' circle. He owns a unanimous decision win over current divisional champion Michael Bisping.
Despite coming off of a loss to Yoel Romero in his last outing, Kennedy is confident that he'll beat Gastelum and reclaim his position in the rankings.
"I have more tools and I think honestly I can beat him anywhere."