The New York State Athletic Commission has suspended UFC welterweight Kelvin Gastelum for failing to appear at the weigh-in for his scheduled bout against Donald Cerrone at UFC 205.
NYSAC spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla confirmed Gastelum's suspension in an email to ESPN.com on Monday.
Gastelum's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told ESPN.com they intend to appeal the suspension. Gastelum wants to fight Tim Kennedy at UFC 206 on Dec. 10 in Toronto. Kennedy was supposed to fight Rashad Evans, but Evans failed to receive medical clearance for the bout.
On Nov. 11, Gastelum (12-2) announced via social media he wouldn't make weight for his 170-pound contest against Cerrone on Nov. 12 and was pulling out of the fight. Cerrone (31-7) made weight and received his show money from the UFC.
Gastelum, 25, has had issues making weight in the past. He has missed the limit twice in his professional career, and UFC president Dana White has stated he'll never book Gastelum to a welterweight bout again.
It's unusual, however, for an athletic commission to suspend an athlete for failing to make weight. There are numerous examples of athletes who shut down a weight cut and canceled a fight but did not receive a suspension from the commission.
UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden was the first UFC event under the oversight of the NYSAC. Professional mixed martial arts was banned in the state of New York from 1997 to 2016. The ban was lifted earlier this year.
The UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
