Chris Weidman showed his toughness and determination tonight at UFC On FOX 25 as he bounced back from being dropped by Kelvin Gastelum late in the first round and began to take control of the fight, leading to a fight-ending choke in the third.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway in Long Island.
Weidman with an early front kick to the body. Now a leg kick. He tries for a head kick, but it’s blocked by Gastelum.
Bit of hand-fighting, then Weidman lands a right hand. Weidman suddenly goes for a takedown and nicely brings Gastelum down.
Gastelum turtled up and Weidman lands a few short right hands. Gastelum stands, but eats a knee as he does so. Weidman looking to take him down again, but Gastelum popping up.
Weidman continuing to work though and shortly afterwards brings him down again and this time is in side control with time to do something with it.
Weidman looking for a kimura now. He’s trying to wrench Gastelum’s arm free, but his opponent nicely manages to work back to his feet instead.
Left hand clips Gastelum. Gastelum tries a head kick that Weidman just manages to block. Suddenly Gastelum steps into a right and then lands big with a left that floors the former champion! Gastelum looking for a finish, but Weidman recovers and makes it to the bell just seconds later.
Round Two:
Front kick to the body from Weidman. Nice leg kick for Gastelum. He comes up just short with a right hook. Leg kick for Weidman.
Weidman lands a nice right hand. Now they go into the clinch and Weidman presses Gastelum to the cage. They jockey for position and Gastelum lands a knee to the body.
Weidman with an ankle pick to get Gastelum down. Gastelum on one knee though and looking to stand. Weidman staying heavy on him though. Nevertheless, Gastelum does stand, with Weidman still clinched to his back and that allows him to bring his opponent back to the mat.
Gastelum back up and Weidman is still on the back clinch. He gets Gastelum down again and settles into his guard. Two minutes of the round as Weidman drops down a few elbows.
A few more Weidman elbows chip away at Gastelum. He works a couple to the body, then back to the head with another. Gastelum scrambles to his knees, but Weidman is latched to his back as the round ends.
Round Three:
Gastelum clips Weidman with a few hooks in a row. He slips though and gets back to his feet. Head kick attempt from Weidman.
Big right hand for Weidman and it rocks Gastelum. Weidman looks for more, but Gastelum utilizes good head movement to take the heat out of the situation.
Solid jab for Gastelum. Big right hand for Weidman staggers Gastelum momentarily. Weidman tries for a takedown, but Gastelum is still alert and stuffs that nicely.
Weidman tries for the takedown against the cage now and manages to do so, but Gastelum stands again, with Weidman taking the body lock on his back.
Weidman brings Gastelum down again. Gastelum turtled up. They scramble on the mat, but it ends up with them still in the same position and there’s two minutes of the round remaining.
Weidman looking for full mount, but Gastelum prevents it. Suddenly Weidman is smoothly in on an arm triangle choke attempt and it’s in tight. Gastelum tries to stay calm, but he can’t find a way out and with the choke only tightening he’s forced to tap out!
Great stuff from Weidman then to end a three-fight losing streak in style against a very tough competitor in Gastelum.
