Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.
Advertisement
Now to the preview for the UFC Fight Night “Dern vs. Rodriguez” prelims:
Bantamweights
NR | Chris Gutierrez (16-4-2, 4-1-1 UFC) vs. NR | Felipe Dias Colares (10-2, 2-2 UFC)ODDS: Gutierrez (-250), Colares (+210)
After an unsuccessful UFC debut against Raoni Barcelos in 2018, Gutierrez has quietly been one of the bantamweight division’s most successful fighters, going undefeated in his last five bouts. However, “El Guapo” has a style built to fly under the radar, as his approach mostly focuses on neutralizing and slowing down his opponents. Gutierrez is evasive and steady, rarely shifting into a second gear, though he did score an impressive finish over Vince Morales in May 2020, chopping him down with the leg kicks that are the best part of his game. That lack of dynamism might be why the UFC is reluctant to give him a huge step up in such a deep division. Instead, Gutierrez gets another tough but underrated challenge in Colares. The Brazilian certainly provides a stylistic contrast to Gutierrez, as “Cabocao” is a pressuring brawler who looks to eventually overwhelm and outwrestle his opponents. That has led to some impressively gritty wins over Domingo Pilarte and Luke Sanders, but Colares’ loss to Montel Jackson showed how that approach can go south, as he mostly served as a damage sponge despite his best efforts to turn around a one-sided beating.
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.
This is a difficult fight to call, particularly since Colares is probably the most dedicated pressure fighter Gutierrez has faced since Barcelos; if not, that honor would go to Cody Durden, who managed to take a draw from Gutierrez on the back of a one-sided and wrestling-heavy first round. Gutierrez could just stay quicker and land at will on Colares for three rounds as the Brazilian plods forward, but the bet is that the Team Nogueira product can stay relentless enough to wear down the American and turn this into a grind. This is a well-matched fight, as both men ride a razor’s edge to victory in completely opposite ways. The pick is Colares via decision.
Continue Reading » Romanov vs. Vanderaa
« Previous Fight Odds Prime Picks: UFC Fight Night 193 ‘Santos vs. Walker’
Next Fight Odds Preview: UFC Fight Night 194 ‘Dern vs. Rodriguez’ »
More Fight Odds