Jack Hermansson calls for UFC Copenhagen headliner with Kelvin Gastelum in September

Jack Hermansson wants the highest ranked UFC middleweight available in his next fight. That just so happens to be Kelvin Gastelum.

After scoring the biggest victory of his career against Ronaldo Souza in April, Hermansson (20-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) said he deserves a crack at another one of the best at 185 pounds. For “The Joker,” that’s Gastelum (15-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC).

Hermansson even knows the when and where for the potential fight. The UFC just announced an event in Copenhagen on Sept. 28, and he said he’d like nothing more than to meet Gastelum there.

“The only person ranked ahead of me that’s available is Kelvin Gastelum so that’s who I want to fight,” Hermansson said at a fan Q&A prior to Friday’s UFC on ESPN+ 11 ceremonial weigh-ins. “Kelvin Gastelum, main event (in) Copenhagen in September. That would be something.”

Whether Gastelum’s timeline to fight matches up with Hermansson remains to be seen. “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner is coming off a grueling interim title fight loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 236 in April and, according to his manager, is still in the healing process.

A September date would give Gastelum several months, though, and Hermansson hopes it can happen.

Hermansson, who has won his past four fights, is surging toward a title shot, and he predicted the sort of performance that would make him hard to deny.

“Of course (I would win in) the first round,” Hermansson said. “Ground-and-pound or the guillotine, for sure.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.