The upcoming UFC Vegas 81, which will take place on October 14, 2023. The action-packed event will take place at the home ground of the UFC, the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas. In the ESPN+ preliminary card, 15th-ranked bantamweight Chris Gutierrez will be taking on Chinese bantamweight Alatengheili.
El Guapo is recovering from a unanimous decision loss against the 10th-ranked Pedro Munhoz just a few months ago at the UFC on ESPN 44. He is 4-1 in his last five fights in the UFC.
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Alatengheili is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Chad Anheliger at UFC 279 on September 10, 2022. The Mongolian Knight will be fighting for the first time in 2023 against Gutierrez at UFC Vegas 81. The 31-year-old is currently on a 2-fight winning streak in the UFC. Heili is coming as a short-notice replacement for Montel Jackson.
Chris Gutierrez vs. Alatengheili stats
Stats | Chris Gutierrez | Alatengheili |
Wins | 19 | 16 |
Losses | 4 | 8 |
Height | 5′ 8″ | 5′ 5″ |
Division | Bantamweight | Bantamweight |
Reach | 67″ | 66.2″ |
Age | 32 | 31 |
Chris Gutierrez vs. Alatengheili prediction
Chris ‘El Guapo’ Gutierrez (19-4-2) is a Muay Thai knockout artist, with nine of his 19 wins coming via KO/TKO. He has 58% striking accuracy, landing an average of 4.75 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 2.76 strikes per minute. Gutierrez has a submission average of 0.13, with only one of his wins coming via submission.
‘El Guapo’ is a great defensive fighter with a strong 74% takedown defense and 64% striking defense. These strong defensive stats make him a very tough matchup for ‘The Mongolian Warrior’.
Chris Gutierrez just battering his opponent’s lead leg to pieces 🔥.
Short notice change of opponent for El Guapo at #UFCVegas80 ⚔️. pic.twitter.com/MvFrUflN6u
— El Champ Champ (@ElChampChampMMA) October 4, 2023
On the other hand, Alatengheili (16-8-1) is a freestyle wrestler with a takedown average of 1.78 per 15 minutes. With a takedown accuracy of 39%, he has secured 3 wins via submission and 4 first-round finishes. He has five victories via KO/TKO with a 34% striking accuracy, landing an average of 2.94 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 4.58 strikes per minute.
Just like Chris Gutierrez, Alatengheili also has a strong defensive profile, with a 73% takedown defense and a 61% striking defense. With all these stats, The Mongolian Knight can take Gutierrez to his limits in this match. It will be a technical chess match between these two fighters at UFC Vegas 81. It has the potential to be the best match on the preliminary card.
Montel Jackson out of UFC Vegas 80, Alatengheili steps in to fight Chris Gutierrez at UFC Vegas 81 https://t.co/H0w3fPG3oY
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) October 3, 2023
Alatengheili was originally scheduled to face Rani Yahya, but he pulled out of the fight. On the other hand, Montel Jackson pulled out of his scheduled bout against Gutierrez, which was due on October 7, 2023. In this matchup, Chris Gutierrez pulls off a win against Alatengheili via Unanimous Decision.