LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag] won’t forget [autotag]Javid Basharat[/autotag] so easily.
The two were supposed to fight last Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 61but Basharat (14-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) suffered an injury and was forced to withdraw from the fight just days before the scheduled date. So instead, Gutierrez (21-5-2 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) ended up fighting and defeating UFC newcomer Quang Le, who accepted the fight on short notice.
Now that the fight against Le is over, “El Guapo” wants to revisit the yellow card with Basharat.
“I have my foot up right now, but I would like to race with Javid,” Gutierrez said in the UFC on ESPN 61 post-fight interview. “We should fight, and I know he’s hurt, so recover quickly and we’ll get back racing. .”
Gutierrez admits the last-minute change wasn’t ideal and definitely confused him a bit.
“I thought, ‘Damn, I was training for a specific, completely different fighter and then a completely different fighter showed up,’” Gutierrez said. “So, yes, you get nervous, but a part of you has to say, ‘This is who we are and this is what we do.’ I trust my training. I trust my coaches and I trust what I’ve been training my mind and body for. At some point, you have to turn off your mind and let go of your instincts.
As for Saturday’s performance, Gutierrez was happy to raise his hand and get back in the win column, as he was coming off a loss to Song Yadong in December. However, he thinks he could have been more clinical.
“I was looking for the ultimate finish – knockout or submission,” Gutierrez said. “I didn’t do it, but I still got the win, so I would say seven (out of 10).”
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For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC on ESPN 61.
This article was originally published on MMA Junkie: Chris Gutierrez wants rebook against Javid Basharat after UFC win on ESPN 61
