Daniel Zellhuber Announces Move Up to 170 Pounds
It has been a rough year for UFC lightweight Daniel Zellhuber. “Golden Boy” entered 2024 as one of the most highly touted prospects in the sport, but has since suffered three consecutive defeats, most recently being stopped by King Green via TKO in February. With his back against the wall, Zellhuber has announced a major career change.
Daniel Zellhuber Moving Up in Weight
For the first time in his professional career, Zellhuber will compete at 170 pounds in his next fight. The move to welterweight comes with the hope that eliminating the brutal weight cut will allow him to focus more on training during camp rather than severely draining his body.
Daniel Zellhuber has trained at Xtreme Couture for the past five years after relocating from his native Mexico. He has become a staple of UFC events held in Mexico, and UFC Noche cards. The new welterweight does not currently have a fight booked, but one has to wonder whether this announcement will coincide with him being added to this year’s UFC Noche card on September 26.
Looking at Daniel Zellhuber in the UFC
Zellhuber first earned his way into the UFC at 22 years old in 2021 by defeating Lucas Almeida on Dana White’s Contender Series. “Golden Boy” dropped his promotional debut to Trey Ogden but then went on a tear, earning three consecutive victories over Lando Vannata, Christos Giagos, and Francisco Prado. Entering 2024, many fans viewed Zellhuber as being on the verge of cracking the top 15 and becoming a potential future title contender. He was even added to EA Sports’ UFC 5 video game, as many viewed him as one of the sport’s future stars.
Three straight losses have since derailed that momentum. Zellhuber was involved in what many consider one of the fights of the year in 2024, dropping a razor-close decision in a bloody war against Esteban Ribovics. It’s possible that fight took a lot out of Zellhuber, as both fighters absorbed significant damage over the course of three rounds. His last two defeats have been more concerning, as he lost to veterans Michael Johnson and King Green. “Golden Boy” entered both of those bouts as at least a 4-to-1 betting favorite. The loss to Green also marked the first knockout loss and first stoppage defeat of his professional career.
One of the biggest criticisms of Daniel Zellhuber has been his slow starts. He takes a very cerebral approach to his fights, but often falls behind on the scorecards in the early rounds as a result. On paper, Zellhuber still possesses all the tools to become a future champion. Standing 6-foot-1 with a 77-inch reach, he regularly enjoyed significant size advantages at lightweight and will still often have a height and reach edge over opponents at welterweight. He possesses sharp, diverse kickboxing skills and has also earned three professional victories by submission.
However, as his recent fights have shown, experienced veterans have been able to capitalize on Daniel Zellhuber’s slow starts by pushing a pace that makes it difficult for him to recover on the scorecards. On paper, Zellhuber has a style that is built for five-round fights, but he is still far from the stage of his career where he can realistically main event UFC cards. It will be interesting to see whether the move to 170 pounds is accompanied by a more aggressive style and faster starts inside the Octagon.
What’s Next For Daniel Zellhuber
As mentioned earlier, Daniel Zellhuber is not currently booked for his welterweight debut, but fans can speculate that the Mexican standout could land a spot on this year’s UFC Noche card. Zellhuber may need a victory in his next outing to remain on the UFC roster, as four consecutive losses often put a fighter’s future with the promotion in jeopardy. At just 27 years old and entering his physical prime, it will be fascinating to see whether a move up in weight can help change the trajectory of his career.
