Kelvin Gastelum accepts Shavkat Rakhmonov’s challenge: ‘It’s either sink or swim’

Kelvin Gastelum is ready to give Shavkat Rakhmonov exactly what he asked for.

In May, Gastelum announced that after seven years competing at middleweight, he will finally drop back down to 170 pounds for his next fight. After his announcement, Rakhmonov, who is currently the No. 5 ranked welterweight according to the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, posted a callout on Twitter to be Gastelum’s first fight back.

And after taking some time to think it over, Gastelum is happy to oblige.

“I like the callout. I appreciate the call out,” Gastelum said on his YouTube channel. “I thought it was a little boring. He could have added a little spice to it, but I like the fight. These are the kind of fights that I want in the welterweight division. This puts me right in the mix, swimming with the sharks. It’s either sink or swim. I like this fight. I think he’s ranked No. 5 or No. 6 in the welterweight division. This puts me up there with some really fun fights, given I win this, which I will...

“It’s been a couple weeks since the tweet. I’ve been on vacation so it’s taken me some time to address it, but now it’s time for me to address it and officially accept the challenge. I accept, Shavkat Rakhmonov, your challenge at 170 pounds, and not only that, I’ll give you a date. Dana was talking about doing a huge Mexican Independence Day event in Las Vegas, which happens to be Sep. 16 on the dot, and me being an outstanding Mexican America, I would gladly represent where me people have come from and where we’re going. Sep. 16 at the T-Mobile Arena, wherever it may be, as your man in Kazakhstan, [Gennady Golovkin] would say, ‘Big drama show.’ Let’s get it on. I accept, Shavkat. I accept your challenge.”

As an Ultimate Fighter winner and a former interim title challenger at middleweight, Gastelum remains a big name in the sport and thus has no shortage of potential opponents for his first fight back at welterweight. Gastelum says Rakhmonov is a particularly appealing choice because of both his standing in the division and his exciting fighting style.

“I like this fight. I like this fight because the man is non-stop action,” Gastelum said. “He is either getting hit or giving the hit. He’s got a 100 percent [finishing] rate, he is undefeated at welterweight, been on a tremendous trajectory in the division, making lots of headlines, and I would love to be the one to put that ‘1’ mark next to his 16-0. 16-1. Sep. 16, let’s make it happen.”

As Gastelum noted, Rakhmonov is perfect in his MMA career, with 17 wins, all by stoppage.

Most recently, Rakhmonov submitted Geoff Neal in March, and put himself on the cusp of title contention. Gastelum, in contrast, has struggled in recent years, dropping five of six at middleweight before most recently defeating Chris Curtis in a controversial decision win back in April. But despite their different career trajectories at the moment, Gastelum believes that when the two do face off, Rakhmonov is in a world of trouble.

“I think stylistically I’m horrible for him,” Gastelum said. “He comes forward, he’s very sloppy sometimes, and I’m going to be able to capitalize on that. I’m either going to be able to land these two [raises his fists] or take his ass down and submit him. I don’t know which way I’ll win.

“I’m not going to sit here and lie and say he’s not a difficult opponent, because he is. The man can take a beating. But I can’t wait to be the one to actually put the ‘1’ next to his undefeated record. I just think I’m a horrible matchup.”