Morning Report: Coach wonders if Kelvin Gastelum has ‘serious eating disorder’

Kelvin Gastelum’s weight-cutting issues made headlines again, and one coach is speculating it could be due to a significant health issue.

The veteran middleweight came in at 191 pounds for his Noche UFC fight with Dustin Stoltzfus, five pounds over the limit for a non-title bout in the division. Gastelum went on to defeat Stoltzfus via unanimous decision, but the result was overshadowed by Gastelum’s latest weight miss as he also missed weight several times when he previously competed at welterweight.

During an appearance on the Anik & Florian Podcast, coach Ray Longo wondered if Gastelum’s problems might have to do with more than a matter of discipline.

“I like Kelvin,” Longo said. “He’s really been a nice guy from the first day I met him, but I do think he’s got a serious eating disorder. He might fall into a category. He’s struggling or something. I believe he’s struggling. I don’t think it’s that he doesn’t care.”

Gastelum has never spoken about having any sort of physical or psychological issues regarding his weight, so Longo’s words should definitely be taken with a grain of salt, but what’s not debatable is that Gastelum has struggled with the scale. When competing at 170 pounds, he first missed weight in 2014 and then again ahead of a pivotal bout with Tyron Woodley at UFC 183 in 2015.

Though Gastelum scored several notable wins to establish himself as a welterweight contender, he failed again to make weight for a high-profile bout with Donald Cerrone at UFC 205, and following that bout’s cancellation, Gastelum began to regularly compete at middleweight. His Noche UFC gaffe was the first time he missed weight in this division.

Longo has overseen countless weight cuts, so though he sympathizes with Gastelum, he’s seen his own fighters battle through difficult conditions and can’t fully understand where Gastelum keeps going wrong.

“I really believe this guy struggles with something or his body’s not responding like a normal person,” Longo said. “I don’t know. I could be completely wrong. I feel bad for him because it’s not a good look. Again, don’t sign the agreement if you can’t make the weight. I just watched my guy [Freddy Vidal] almost die, seriously, cutting 30 pounds. He had to go another five, in six days.

“I saw [Chris] Weidman kill himself. Wouldn’t accept three pounds. He just wouldn’t do it.”

As penalty for the weight miss, Gastelum was fined 35 percent of his purse. By now, he’s forfeited a fair chunk of change to his opponents and the commissions, but it hasn’t been enough to straighten him out, according to Longo.

The veteran coach also believes the people in charge of booking Gastelum should take some share of the responsibility.

“Thirty-five percent is a big number,” Longo said. “That’s why I say he’s definitely not motivated by money because that’s a big chunk to come out of your paycheck.”

“Part of the play, I don’t want to say this, is the UFC, too,” Longo added. “They’re asking a guy on a month’s notice to fight, and it’s the old saying, ‘You put a gun in a monkey’s hand and he shoots somebody, whose fault is it? That’s what they did. They know the guy can’t make the weight; most likely, it’s not in their favor. Go with a guy that’s a guaranteed lock.”

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I don’t think it’s fair to speculate on Gastelum’s physical and mental health, but I would love to hear from the man himself someday on just why the scale has been his nemesis for so long. Wishing him the best — Lee

In response to AK, I’m going to offer that old dating adage: If he wanted to, he would. Kelvin doesn’t want to make the weight; if he did, he would. — Meshew

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