A UFC showdown culminates live on ESPN as Australia’s Robert Whittaker faces fellow Middleweight contender Kelvin Gastelum at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday. The UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum card begins at 9am AEST with the UFC Fight Night Prelims, before the Main Card follows at 12pm AEST on ESPN2.
Number one ranked Middleweight Whittaker is eyeing another shot at current UFC champion Israel Adesanya and victory over Kelvin Gastelum could provide the Aussie his shot at redemption.
Whittaker was originally scheduled to face number two middeweight Paulo Costa at the event, however the Brazilian was forced to withdrawal due to illness. Gastelum stepped in to replace Costa, handing the American a chance to complete some unfinished business against Whittaker.
The pair were set to fight in Australia in 2019, but Whittaker was forced to withdraw on the eve of the event.
Whittaker and Gastelum have previously gone head to head as coaches of The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters. Both fighters have also previously fallen victim to reigning UFC Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the Octagon.
With Adesanya making an unsuccessful move to Light Heavyweight, Sunday’s winner could be next in line for a crack at the current Middleweight king.
Also on Sunday’s main card is a Lightweight showdown between Jeremy Stephens and Drakkar Klose. Plus former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski and Chase Sherman meet in the heavyweight division.
ESPN SportsCenter host Phil Murphy will bring all the news and insight from Las Vegas on SC: UFC Fight Camp in the lead up to UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum:
Saturday April 17
• 4pm AEST, SC: UFC Fight Camp, ESPN
Sunday April 18
• 6am AEST, UFC Unleashed: Whittaker vs Souza, ESPN2
• 7am AEST, SC: UFC Fight Camp, ESPN2
• 8am AEST, UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum Pre Show, ESPN2
• 9am AEST, UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum Prelims, ESPN2
• 12pm AEST, UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum Main Card, ESPN2
• 3pm AEST, UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum Post-Show, ESPN2
ESPN and ESPN2 are available on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV and Sky NZ.