Israel Adesanya Appreciates ‘Mexican Style’ Of Kelvin Gastelum

Israel Adesanya likes the “Mexican style” that Kelvin Gastelum presents.

On April 13, Adesanya will collide with Gastelum for the interim UFC middleweight title. The bout will take place on the UFC 236 card in Atlanta, Georgia. Both men got to this point as champion Robert Whittaker has yet to defend his title since being recognized as the champion.

Adesanya was a guest on “The MMA Hour.” During the show, Adesanya explained why he views the Gastelum fight as a solid test:

“Kelvin Gastelum, there’s many ways I can classify his style. I like it. He’s improved. One thing I can say is that he’s improved over his run in the UFC from The Ultimate Fighter and now being a contender. But his style? It’s very Mexican. You have the Mexican style of boxing, and he has a Mexican style of MMA, like smart Mexican style. He doesn’t just brawl or look for wars. He’s calculated when he approaches the game.

“But, again, they haven’t fought anyway like me, they haven’t seen anyone like me. It’s the same rhetoric, but when I say it it’s not just talk. I’m speaking because it’s facts. None of them have seen someone like me. So, I’m looking forward to this test. I even said [Gastelum] was going to lose to Robert Whittaker and I was going to staredown Robert Whittaker in the Octagon. So, I think [Gastelum] is the easier fight out of the both of them. So, I’d rather get this one out of the way and then take on Robert next [fight].”

Adesanya is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Anderson Silva at UFC 234. Gastelum was supposed to challenge Whittaker on the card, but the champion suffered a hernia in his abdomen.