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22nd Nov 2016

Fans aren’t happy after UFC chiefs throw the book at Kelvin Gastelum for New York weigh-ins fiasco

Not a popular decision

Ben Kiely

The New York State Athletic Commission really threw the book at Kelvin Gastelum for skipping the official UFC 205 weigh-ins.

Gastelum was scheduled to fight fan-favourite Donald Cerrone on the landmark card, but it emerged early on the day of the weigh-ins that he wasn’t going to make the 171 lb limit.

Sure enough, Gastelum, who has a history of missing weight, never weighed in and the main card bout was scrapped. Cerrone still showed up, tipping the scales at 170.4 lbs to ensure that he received his show money as compensation. However, he missed out on taking part in the historic event.

Dana White has vowed that Gastelum will be forced to move permanently up to middleweight after the incident. Two years ago, Gastelum was ordered to move up to 185lbs after missing the welterweight limit twice in the span of three bouts. He knocked out former Strikeforce welterweight king Nate Marquardt in his return to middleweight before dropping back down, but White has assured everyone that welterweight is no longer any option for Gastelum.

 

Reports are now emerging that the TUF 17 winner has been handed his punishment by the NYSAC for failing to show up to the weigh-ins. According to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto the Commission have slapped the youngster with a six month suspension over the incident.

Although this ban will only be applicable in New York, Okamoto explained that other states may honour the punishment.

The hefty punishment hasn’t exactly gone done well with the MMA community.

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