With champion Robert Whittaker recovering from surgery, the UFC is moving forward with an interim title in the middleweight division.
Undefeated Israel Adesanya (16-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) will fight Kelvin Gastelum (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) for the interim 185-pound belt at UFC 236, which takes place April 13 and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass. A venue and location for the card have not been announced.
ESPN.com reported the news, citing UFC President Dana White. Gastelum chimed in on the matchup with a tweet.
April 13th , of 2013 I was crowned the Winner of The Ultimate Fighter of season 17.
It only makes sense that on the 13th of April, the entire journey comes around and it makes a full circle. #OnAmission4Gold
After Whittaker (20-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) pulled out of UFC 234 earlier this month at the last minute due to an internal hernia and collapsed bowel, he underwent “emergency surgery” to correct the issue. He was unable to defend his belt in a scheduled matchup with Gastelum.
Gastelum said Whittaker’s withdrawal made him the champion by default, while Adesanya lobbied for the promotion to strip Whittaker of the title after he beat MMA legend Anderson Silva by unanimous decision in the makeshift UFC 234 headliner.
Whittaker said his timeline for recovery after surgery could be anywhere from June to August, but apparently the UFC didn’t wish to wait that long. It decided to book Adesanya vs. Gastelum for UFC 236, with the winner most likely to unify with Whittaker once he returns to full health.
The latest UFC 236 lineup now includes:
- Kelvin Gastelum vs. Israel Adesanya – for interim middleweight title
- Boston Salmon vs. Khalid Taha
For more on UFC 236, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
