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With another installment of UFC Fight Night, Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum lead as the main event of the evening. Catch the fights on Saturday night, 10 pm Eastern on ESPN. Whittaker enters the Octagon as the number one ranked fighter behind champion Israel Adesanya. As for Gastelum, he's currently ranked eighth in the Middleweight division. Let's take a look at our UFC Fight Night Whittaker vs Gastelum prediction.
Whittaker enters this fight as the top-ranked fighter in the division. In his last 12 fights, he's only suffered one loss, which was to Adesanya back in October 2019. He's beaten the who's who of the Middleweight division and aims to maintain his first-place ranking with a victory over Gastelum on Saturday night.
Gastelum on the other hand has had a rather up and down career lately. In his last 10 fights, the Southpaw has gone 4-4-1. He won his last fight against Ian Heinisch by unanimous decision, putting Gastelum back on track to remain in the top 10 rankings. He has everything to prove as this is the biggest fight of his career.
Let’s take a look at the sportsbooks to see what the odds are to the main event on Saturday night.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker – Gastelum Odds
Robert Whittaker (-260)
Kelvin Gastelum (+220)
Over 4.5 rounds (-140)
Under 4.5 rounds (+110)
How Robert Whittaker Wins the Fight
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“The Reaper” is set as the favorite to win this bout, and for good reason. He's been one of the UFC's most consistent fighters over the last six years. He's a dangerous fighter that likes to keep it on his feet, as Whittaker has never won via submission since entering the UFC in 2012.
Whittaker's brawls typically either end by knockout, or they go the distance. He's one of the best in the world in the stand-up game. Considering that's how Gastelum likes to fight as well, this bout is right in Whittaker's wheelhouse. He has the size and reach advantage, so look for Whittaker's game plan to focus on keeping the distance and picking apart Gastelum with precision strikes.
How Kelvin Gastelum Wins the Fight
Gastelum enters this fight after securing a much-needed victory in his last bout. It's been rough for him, but this could be the fight that catapults Gastelum to the top of the rankings. Most of his fights go the distance, as he's a disciplined fighter that sticks to his game plan. To win this matchup, Gastelum will need to follow the game plan his team has created, otherwise, this fight could get ugly fast.
For the Southpaw fighter to walk away victorious, he might need to go out of character. He's four inches shorter than Whittaker and has a smaller reach as well. To win this fight, Gastelum should consider closing the distance and working Whittaker in the clinch. Focus on the body and tire Whittaker out. After doing so, Gastelum can let loose his stand-up skills during the championship rounds.
Robert Whittaker vs Kelvin Gastelum Prediction
Everything is pointing towards Whittaker winning this fight. He's been much more consistent than Gastelum has the past few years. There's a considerable difference between first place and eighth place. Whittaker should be able to prove he's the better fighter tonight. It won't be a walk through the park by any means, as Gastelum will hold his own throughout.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREDICTION: Robert Whittaker wins by Unanimous Decision.
