Gastelum impresses in win against former champion Hendricks

Kelvin Gastelum took another major step toward becoming a world title contender by taking out former UFC champion Johny Hendricks.

After three rounds of back-and-forth action, it was Gastelum who did enough to convince the judges to reward him with a unanimous decision win at UFC 200 on Saturday in Las Vegas.

The "Ultimate Fighter 17" winner has now alternated wins and losses in his last two, though a win over Hendricks could vault him into the welterweight top 10.

Gastelum was spectacular in the first round. He repeatedly found success with an overhand left, then threw multiple 1-2 punch combinations that landed squarely on Hendricks' chin.

The pace slowed considerably in the second. Hendricks wisely mixed in takedown attempts with overhand lefts of his own to pressure Gastelum against the cage. Though it was unclear who was ahead going into the final round, Hendricks' efforts went a long way toward evening up the score.

Round 3 went to Gastelum, who stayed aggressive throughout the last five minutes. Pushing the pace may have been the key to taking advantage of Hendricks, who looked drained from a difficult weight cut.

Hendricks weighed in a quarter of a pound over the welterweight limit Friday, costing him 20 percent of his purse. Adding insult to injury, the No. 6-ranked fighter has now lost three of his last four fights and he finds himself in divisional limbo.