Chris Gutierrez understands the task he was given in being Frankie Edgar’s final UFC opponent this Saturday, but he plans to make the feel-good story all about him.
Gutierrez faces Edgar on Saturday at UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden in what is slated to be Edgar’s retirement bout. A victory over the former UFC lightweight champion and longtime legend could give him the biggest win of his career, and possibly a number next to his name on the next cycle of UFC rankings.
Gutierrez wouldn’t have any remorse sending Edgar into the next chapter of his life with a loss.
“Why? Would would there be any remorse?” Gutierrez told MMA Fighting. “He’s had his time. He’s had a great run, and at the end of the day, that’s what it is. He’s had his time, and I don’t feel bad.
“His job is to beat me, my job is to try and beat him. There’s no remorse sending him on his way with an ass-whooping.”
Since a submission loss to Raoni Barcelos in his UFC debut at the TUF 28 Finale in November 2018, Gutierrez has gone unbeaten over seven fights, including a hard-fought majority draw against Cody Durden. “El Guapo” picked up victories in three straight outings, including a “Performance of the Night” spinning back-elbow knockout of Danaa Batgerel at UFC Columbus in March.
Gutierrez could break a lot of hearts in the MMA on Saturday, but he has found peace with picking up a career-altering win while being the villain.
“I’ll tell you exactly how: I removed the name and the face, and it’s just the body,” he said. “I’m just going to run through it. That’s as simple as it is. I understand the task ahead, I understand it’s Frankie, but at the same time, I really don’t give a damn. It’s just a body. That’s all it is, and that’s what I’m treating it as.
“I don’t give a s*** about [being booed]. I’m not fighting any of the crowd, I’m fighting one person. At the end of the day, I might get booed, it doesn’t matter. I tune all that s*** out. If anything, it fuels me.”
Edgar enters his 36th and final pro MMA bout looking to snap a two-fight skid. His most recent appearance at MSG ended in a third-round front kick knockout loss to Marlon Vera a little over a year ago at UFC 268. Saturday marks the 30th octagon appearance for “The Answer.”
“I don’t deserve s***, I’ve earned my opportunity to be here,” Gutierrez said of his chance to fight Edgar. “The only way I can describe it as that I’m excited. I’m fighting at Madison Square Garden. That’s a dream come true, and statistically, I’m not supposed to be here, to be honest.”
