Chris Gutierrez is "scared sh*tless to fight half-naked" when he goes up against Song Yadong
Chris Gutierrez recently opened up about his upcoming bout against Song Yadong and got real about how he's feeling heading into the fight. He stated that, unlike some other fighters, he wasn't trying to put on a brave face and admitted that he felt quite nervous about going up against the higher-ranked fighter.
Gutierrez and Yadong will throw down in a bantamweight contest in the main event of UFC Vegas 83 this weekend. While the Chinese fighter was initially booked against Petr Yan, the matchup ultimately failed to materialize, and Gutierrez was roped in to replace Yan. This event was initially meant to take place in Shanghai, China, but was later relocated to Las Vegas less than three weeks ago.
At a pre-fight media day event, Chris Gutierrez was asked if he felt jittery before the bout. He replied:
"Who says they're not scared? That's the biggest bullsh*t... I'm scared sh*tless. That's the reality, right? You're putting yourself in a very vulnerable position. You're going out there to fight half-naked in front of millions of people... So to say you're not afraid, that's almost you trying to mask something."
Chris Gutierrez is 4-1 in his last five outings and is coming off a unanimous decision win over Alateng Heili at UFC Vegas 81 in October. Meanwhile, Song Yadong has also gone 4-1 in his last five fights and last defeated Ricky Simon via fifth-round knockout at UFC Vegas 72.
UFC Vegas 83: Chris Gutierrez eyeing title shot with a win over Song Yadong
At the same media day event, Chris Gutierrez opened up about his title aspirations and stated that he sees a championship opportunity with a win over Song Yadong.
'El Guapo' is considered to be among the most exciting strikers to watch in the UFC and is the only fighter in promotional history to have finishes via leg kick, spinning back fist, and flying knee.
Given that Song Yadong is also known for his incredible striking prowess, fans are understandably excited to see fireworks when the two bantamweights step into the cage. If Chris Gutierrez can get past the Chinese national, he sees bigger opportunities coming his way.
Speaking at the UFC Vegas 83 media day event, the 31-year-old Texan said:
"I think it pushes me closer to a title fight. I think I bring something exciting to the division. A different style, a different meaning to it. I’m excited. I’m blessed to be here."
Catch Gutierrez's comments below (2:27):