Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight strikers Song Yadong and Chris Gutierrez will clash TONIGHT (Sat., Dec. 9, 2023) at UFC Vegas 83 inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This is a bit of an odd step backwards for Yadong, who’s won four of his last five, only losing a competitive bout with elite contender Cory Sandhagen in that span. “The Kungfu Monkey” is still somehow just 25 years of age, but he’s really hitting his stride as of late, showcasing improved composure and strategy to complement his vicious power.
Meanwhile, Gutierrez has been winning far more often than not as well. His loss to Pedro Munhoz slowed the kickboxer’s rise, but Gutierrez has nevertheless earned his place in the Top 15, and he’s got a big opportunity here.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
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Song Yadong
Record: 20-7-1 (1)
Key Wins: Marlon Vera (UFC on ESPN 8), Ricky Simon (UFC Vegas 72), Marlon Moraes (UFC Vegas 50), Casey Kenney (UFC 265), Julio Arce (UFC Vegas 42), Alejandro Perez (UFC 239)
Key Losses: Cory Sandhagen (UFC Vegas 60), Kyler Phillips (UFC 259)
Keys To Victory: Yadong is a standout athlete in a division filled with standout athletes. He’s exceptionally quick and powerful, able to string together nasty volleys of knockout punches like very few others.
Yadong’s last few fights have shown serious improvement in how he approaches fighting. He’s no longer head-hunting, instead opting to more methodically pressure and break opponents down with body work and calf kicks before taking his right hand upstairs. A simple enough concept, but it’s one that’s paying dividends for the Chinese athlete.
Against a nasty kicker like Gutierrez, that’ll be especially important here. Yadong doesn’t want to be predictable at all. He has to feint actively and mix up his targets while pressing, otherwise, Gutierrez will find his moments to rip the calf. Provided, however, Yadong is patient and tactical in closing range, he’s at a massive advantage in any kind of prolonged exchange. He’s the better, more powerful boxer by a fair margin, as Gutierrez mostly relies on avoiding the pocket.
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Chris Gutierrez
Record: 20-5-2
Key Wins: Frankie Edgar (UFC 281), Felipe Colares (UFC Vegas 39), Vince Morales (UFC Vegas 1), Alateng Heili (UFC Vegas 81)
Key Losses: Pedro Munhoz (UFC Kansas City), Raoni Barcelos (TUF 28 Finale)
Keys to Victory: Gutierrez is one of the very best low kickers in the sport right now. He’s happy to shift stance to keep the calf kick alive, and he’s routinely able to break opponents down and limit their offense with that weapon.
Nine of his wins come via knockout.
Gutierrez pretty much has to get his kicking game working to have a chance here — Yadong is simply better in every other aspect of fighting. That’s the brilliant thing about calf kicks though, as they can make great fighters look extremely ordinary after a few connections.
The goal should be to frustrate Yadong and pull out prior impatient tendencies. If Gutierrez remains really committed to avoiding exchanges and circling, Yadong is more likely to start following rather than cutting the cage, as well as headhunt rather than mix up his targets. That’ll make the calf kicks easier to land, which should mitigate Yadong’s usual gifts of athleticism and speed.
Once on a more level playing field, Gutierrez should feel more confident committing to punching exchanges on his own terms.
Bottom Line
Fights between ranked Bantamweights rarely disappoint.
Initially, Yadong was supposed to fight former champion Petr Yan in his home country, which would’ve been one hell of a potential showcase for the young talent. This fight versus Gutierrez isn’t quite as high-profile, but at least it’s still a main event slot! Victory here would make it two main event wins in a row for Yadong, which hopefully sets him up for a Top Five foe next.
As for Gutierrez, this is an unexpected opportunity for “El Guapo,” who likely wasn’t penned to score another shot at a Top 10 foe so soon after the Munhoz loss. If he wins, it’s the best name on his resume by a considerable margin, and he’ll fire up the rankings a fair amount.
At UFC Vegas 83, Song Yadong and Chris Gutierrez will go to war in the main event. Which man remains standing when the dust settles?