UFC 244: Road to title shot against middleweight champion Israel Adesanya goes through Darren Till, Kelvin Gastelum says

Kelvin Gastelum believes a statement win puts him in line for a title shot. Photo / Getty Images

When all is said and done in his mixed martial arts career, Kelvin Gastelum's presence will live on as legend.

In April, Gastelum and Kiwi counterpart Israel Adesanya fought over five rounds at UFC 236 for the interim middleweight title, leaving everything they had in the octagon in what will go down as one of the greatest fights in UFC history.

As is often said in the MMA world, you win or you learn. So while the 28-year-old American was on the wrong side of the unanimous decision on the night, it wasn't without a silver lining.

"Bro, there's so many things (I learnt)," Gastelum told the Herald.

"I still get comments and messages about that fight. It made an impact in the MMA world, that's for sure.

"I've watched that film over 100 times and made my notes and studied it. I was looking at the things I did wrong and how I could make them better, and the things that I did good and how I could make them even greater.

"There are things that I want to implement as well; things that I should have done that I want to implement in my fights from now on. I did a lot of growing from that fight. There's no way you go through a battle like that without growing."

Gastelum will make his return to the octagon this Sunday (NZ time) at UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden against newcomer to the 185lb division, Darren Till.

Till came into the UFC in 2015 as an unbeaten prospect with major raps on him. He continued his unbeaten run through his first six fights in the UFC's welterweight division on his way to a title shot, before suffering two consecutive losses via stoppage. Often noted as a big welterweight, Till makes the jump up to what would seem to be his natural weight class.

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It's a move that has worked for a number of fighters in recent times. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker won eight straight fights after making the leap up a weight class in 2014, while Gastelum himself has soared through the rankings since returning to middleweight for good in 2016.

"The move to middleweight for me did wonders in my career and I think it could do the same for Darren," Gastelum said. "The only thing is he's got me in front of him this time, so I don't know if it's going to be a smooth transition to middleweight."

Learning what he has done over the past six months following his bout against Adesanya – who now holds the undisputed middleweight championship – the No4 ranked middleweight is itching for another shot at the belt.

And after reports that incumbent No1 contender Paulo Costa would be ruled out until at least April, the 28-year-old American was hoping to make a strong case to get his hands on Adesanya again sooner rather than later.

"I feel like I win - I go out there and make a statement against Darren - then I can definitely get that rematch."