Preview: UFC 313 Prelims

Featherweights

Chris Gutierrez (21-6-2, 9-3-1 UFC) vs. John Castaneda (21-7, 4-3 UFC)

ODDS: Gutierrez (-110), Castaneda (-110)

Gutierrez looks to get some momentum going in this compelling late-notice pairing. “El Guapo” had a forgettable UFC debut in 2019, getting run over by Raoni Barcelos, but Gutierrez recovered to become the dark horse of the bantamweight division, going undefeated in his next eight fights. Gutierrez did most of his work as a neutralizer, focusing on a leg kicking game that did an impressive job of breaking down his opponents, and for a brief moment, it seemed like Gutierrez would turn the corner and turn his defensive into effective offense. He capped off that unbeaten streak in 2022 with knockout wins over Batgerel Danaa and Frankie Edgar. However, Gutierrez’s career has flattened out and hit a clear ceiling, as top-tier opponents have taken him out of his game. Pedro Munhoz landed some hard offense early and sent him into passiveness, while Yadong Song was consistent enough with his power that Gutierrez crumbled over the course of their fight. Gutierrez’s lone fight of 2024 saw him rebound with a win over Quang Le, but a victory here against Castaneda would do a great deal towards reaffirming Gutierrez’s relevance. A late fill-in after his fight was scrapped on March 1, Castaneda has been a fun fighter with some inconsistent success. He tends to dart in on his opponents and force a lot of exchanges, which results in a lot of variance unless one of the two parties is clearly outgunned. That constant activity could cause Gutierrez some problems. However, the lean is that Gutierrez can cause the most damage—particularly with his leg kicks—and coast to a win. The pick is Gutierrez via decision.

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Gutierrez vs. Castaneda