While Kelvin Gastelum saw a second opportunity to face MMA legend Anderson Silva fall apart, he believes a clash with Silva’s replacement, Michael Bisping, is a ‘much bigger fight’
Gastelum is clearly grateful for Bisping saving the day.
As for Silva, Gastelum believes the Brazilian’s failure of a USADA drug test, his second suspension in almost three years, has affected his claim to being one of the greatest fighters in the history of mixed martial arts.
“It’s not like I dislike Anderson or I like him. I feel indifferent about him,” Gastelum said Wednesday on a UFC Shanghai media conference call (via MMAFighting). “To me, it wasn’t surprising that he got caught, and so we’ve got to move on with the show. I feel like he definitely tarnished his legacy with this, and it is what it is. The show must go on.”
Bisping stayed true to his word when he claimed that he would be seeking to get back into the Octagon as soon as possible following his UFC 217 title-fight loss to Georges St-Pierre. Gastelum cited GSP’s own admission of Bisping being his toughest opponent as a reason why he feels a bout with the Brit is more of a challenge to him:
“I feel like this is a much, much bigger fight than the Anderson Silva fight would’ve been,” Gastelum said.
“Mike is obviously the former champion and he’s highly ranked, and his position in the UFC is very high, so this is a great [chance] for my career. But I feel, advantage-wise, the fight is very equal. He’s coming fresh off a camp, so I imagine he’s in good shape and he’s going to be ready. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy fight.
“GSP said it himself,” Gastelum added. “That was the hardest fight he’s ever had.”
