John Lineker is a UFC flyweight and weighed in at 130 lbs at UFC 183 (which is 4 lbs over the limit). Kelvin Gastelum is a UFC welterweight and he came in at 180 lbs (which is 9 lbs over the limit).
Because of this, Dana White mentioned that both fighters have to move up a weight class because of multiple failed attempts to make weight. Both fighters are elite top 10 fighters in each of their respectful divisions, but will now have to find new homes in different weight classes.
Lineker has already stated that he is excited to make new waves in the bantamweight division and he is ready to fight. A couple of bantamweights that would be a good test for Lineker’s debut would be Bryan Caraway or Johnny Eduardo.
Caraway is an elite grappler in that division and would be a good test for Lineker’s takedown defense and also his submission defense as well. Eduardo is one of the most experienced fighters and is coming off of a brutal knockout of Eddie Wineland. Either way, each one of these fighters would be an exciting test for Lineker’s first fight at bantamweight.
Gastelum is disappointed that he failed to make weight multiple times. Even though that experience was frustrating, he accepted the agreement to move up a weight class. A couple fighters that would be a great test for Gastelum are Brad Tavares and Tim Boetsch.
Both are hard hitters would good wrestling and Gastelum could test how strong he is against either of these fighters and he would find out quick what it is like to move up to middleweight. Lineker had to move up 10 lbs, but Gastelum has to move up a solid 15 lbs. That is going to be a difficult test to keep the same elite status at middleweight as he did in the welterweight division.
Gastelum was basically knocking on the door of a title shot if he was able to make weight and defeat Tyron Woodley. Unfortunately, he did not accomplish either of those tasks and will have to make an impact in the ultra-talented middleweight division.
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson is the best possible example of how you can move up in weight classes and become even more successful. Before Johnson was a light-heavyweight, he was mainly a welterweight in the UFC, so he eventually ended up moving up 2 weight classes. He had to cut so much weight that his strength and energy sometimes went down the drain because of that awful process.
He is now fighting at his natural weight class at light-heavyweight and is about to challenge Jon Jones for the UFC Light-Heavyweight Championship. Johnson is seen as Jones’ most dangerous opponent yet.
Hopefully Gastelum and Lineker can be more effective at their natural weight class like Johnson. Time will tell and the first fight will be a big one for either Lineker or Gastelum because we get to see what they are made of in a new weight class.
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