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.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BM9QKpvhMJZ/
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.
Here's some news: Confirmed with NY State Athletic Commission it suspended Kelvin Gastelum SIX MONTHS for "failing to appear at weigh-in."
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 21, 2016
NYSAC jurisdiction is only NY but usually other athletic commissions honor suspensions. This one is unusual though. https://t.co/UIYSqnbSmv
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 21, 2016
The hefty punishment hasn’t exactly gone done well with the MMA community.
I get people are still outraged at Gastelum's weight issues, but figuring out proper punishment should be UFC's role, not the commission's.
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) November 21, 2016
@bokamotoESPN That’s fucking ridiculous.
— Sir Farts-a-Lot™ (@NopeNotThisTime) November 21, 2016
@bokamotoESPN that is excessive to say the least. But they knew before he wasn’t attempting to make weight?
— Paul McClure (@chiefmackers) November 21, 2016
@bokamotoESPN thank god nobody threw a bootle or a chair. If there just suspending him for not showing up at the weight in.
— Micheal (@mikeg676) November 21, 2016
@bokamotoESPN Expensive lesson.
— Morgan Waltz (@MorganWaltzMMA) November 21, 2016
@bokamotoESPN Wtf?
— Chris Poole (@EdgeLife4Me) November 21, 2016
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