The UFC returns to San Antonio on June 28th with a fight night event featuring a welterweight fight pitting Kelvin Gasltelum against Nicholas Musoke as well as former Featherweight title challenger Ricardo Lamas, who returns to face Hacran Dias. Both matches for m the core of the main card in support of the Cub Swanson versus Jeremy Stephens main event.
Right now, Gastelum is a big (-370) favorite over Musoke, who returns (+310). Gastelum is at 8-0 and he continues to be a fighter to watch after winning ‘The Ultimate Fighter” season 18 and going 3-0 in his UFC fights since then. In his last outing, he went to war with veteran Rick Story and came out the winner of a split decision. Gastelum is in need of a step up in competition, and the UFC is dearly hoping that Musoke is not that step. Gastelum would be the first TUF finalist in a long time to impact the title picture if he can continue to work his way up the ladder. Musoke is tough and he is a top notch athlete, and he has gone 2-0 in the UFC himself and he may warrant a look while returning 3-1.
Ricardo Lamas is the favorite (-190) over Hacran Dias (+165) in their featherweight encounter, as Lamas rode a strong 4 fight winning streak to a title shot. He lost by UD over the full five rounds against Champion Jose Aldo and is looking to preserve a spot near the top of the rankings. Dias came to the UFC with an imprerssic=ve 20-1 record on the Brazilian circuit, but he stumbled in the UFC and has gone 1-1. To add to Lamas experience advantage in the big show, this is Dias’ first fight outside of Brazil, so it will be a whole new experience on a lot of fronts for Dias.
The undercard of the show features two matches that could be worth watching, as Joe Ellenberger, the twin brother of welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger makes his UFC debut against undefeated Francisco Trevino and Russian veteran Alexey Oleinyk makes his UFC debut at Heavyweight against Anthony Hamilton. Trevino has a real shot in his fight, as the UFC may be taught the same lesson they should have learned with Sergio Pettis, and that is that a UFC fighter’s brother cant be judged on anything but their own merits. As for Oleinyk, look for the veteran of over 50 fights to seize his chance and earn a win.
