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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
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Matt Erickson and Ken Hathaway

Chris Gutierrez wants Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo winner after kick-heavy win

LAS VEGAS – Chris Gutierrez beat Heili Alateng with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 230 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Gutierrez, who got back on track after an April loss to Pedro Munhoz, which was his first setback in more than four years.

Heili Alateng vs. Chris Gutierrez

Result: Chris Gutierrez def. Heili Alateng via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Updated records: Gutierrez (20-4-2 MMA, 8-2-1 UFC), Alateng (16-9-2 MMA, 4-2-1 UFC)
Key stats: Gutierrez landed 56 of 81 leg kicks – nearly half of his total strike output.

Gutierrez on the fight's key moment

Heili Alateng’s leg from Chris Gutierrez’s kicks at UFC Fight Night 230 2

“It wasn’t the prettiest, but I got the job done. Ultimately, that’s my job. It’s exactly what we expected: There’s going to be some punching and kicking and there’s going to be a little wrestling. But I was able to do different things in this camp. I was able to grow mentally a lot in this camp.”

Gutierrez on a possible injury

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 14: (L-R) Chris Gutierrez punches Alatengheili of China in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 14, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“I’ve got a broken toe. I think that hurts really bad right now. But I don’t know. … I just felt it get like – it started stinging and get cold, and I was like, ‘Ahh, damn it.’ But whatever – it’s a toe. I don’t think I need it. So that’s what I was telling myself: ‘It’s a toe. You don’t need it. Just keep kicking with it.'”

Gutierrez on what he wants next

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Rob Font

“I like to take things one day at a time. I had to battle a lot of things mentally for this fight. … Rob Font (vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, I’d fight) the winner out of them – I don’t know. That’d be definitely a fun fight. I’m just a fighter. I don’t get to call sh*t, to be honest. I just want to celebrate with my team.”

To hear more from Gutierrez, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 230.

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