Song Yadong and Chris Gutierrez will headline a re-jigged UFC Fight Night when they meet in the bantamweight main event, set for the APEX Facility in Las Vegas on Sunday morning.
This event was originally scheduled to be held in Shanghai and was set to be the UFC’s first return to mainland China since the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, in mid-November the Fight Night was shifted to Las Vegas, but remaining with Song v Gutierrez as the headline fight.
Song (20-7-1, 1 NC) has won four of his last five matches and was most recently in action in April of this year, claiming a fifth-round TKO of Ricky Simon.
The 25-year-old ‘Kung Fu Kid’, who is ranked No 7 in the division, is targeting a long career, but is not looking beyond the immediate challenge in front of him.
“I’ve been fighting since I was 16 years old – and I fought a lot – so I don’t want to see the past,” said Song. “I’m always looking forward, [looking at] the next fight. I think this is just the beginning. If I’m healthy, I will keep going and going. I wish I can fight 10 years more.”
Gutierrez (20-5-2) has lost just one of his last 10 matches and was most recently in action in October of this year, claiming a unanimous decision win over Alateng Heili.
The 32-year-old ‘El Guapo’ (Handsome) is looking to rise into the top 10 of the division’s rankings and sees this fight as a potential launchpad for great things.
“I take it one day at a time, one fight at a time,” Gutierrez said. “But, with that being said, I think I did enough to be in the mix now and to be talked about. I’m excited for what 2024 holds.”
The rest of the main card features a light heavyweight co-main pitting Anthony Smith against Khalil Rountree Jr; Su Mudaerji battles Allan Nascimento in the flyweight division; Nasrat Haqparast and Jamie Mullarkey meet in a lightweight showdown; and the middleweight opener sees Park Jun-yong face Andre Muniz.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT: SONG VS. GUTIERREZ – MAIN CARD
Main event: Bantamweight: Song Yadong v Chris Gutierrez
Light heavyweight: Anthony Smith v Khalil Rountree Jr
Flyweight: Su Mudaerji v Allan Nascimento
Lightweight: Nasrat Haqparast v Jamie Mullarkey
Middleweight: Park Jun-yong v Andre Muniz