Pedro Munhoz vs Chris Gutierrez

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Aiemann Zahabi	0	109 of 206	52%	110 of 208	0 of 1	0%	0	0	0:00
Pedro Munhoz	0	95 of 327	29%	95 of 327	0 of 6	0%	0	0	0:02

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Aiemann Zahabi	0	30 of 51	58%	30 of 51	0 of 1	0%	0	0:00
Pedro Munhoz	0	26 of 72	36%	26 of 72	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
2	Aiemann Zahabi	0	41 of 90	45%	42 of 92	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
Pedro Munhoz	0	22 of 109	20%	22 of 109	0 of 3	0%	0	0:02
3	Aiemann Zahabi	0	38 of 65	58%	38 of 65	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
Pedro Munhoz	0	47 of 146	32%	47 of 146	0 of 3	0%	0	0:00

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Aiemann Zahabi	109 of 206	52%	98 of 188	11 of 17	0 of 1	109 of 204	0 of 2	0 of 0
Pedro Munhoz	95 of 327	29%	82 of 304	7 of 14	6 of 9	94 of 324	1 of 3	0 of 0

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Aiemann Zahabi	30 of 51	58%	24 of 43	6 of 8	0 of 0	30 of 50	0 of 1	0 of 0
Pedro Munhoz	26 of 72	36%	23 of 65	2 of 4	1 of 3	25 of 71	1 of 1	0 of 0
2	Aiemann Zahabi	41 of 90	45%	37 of 81	4 of 8	0 of 1	41 of 89	0 of 1	0 of 0
Pedro Munhoz	22 of 109	20%	16 of 100	3 of 6	3 of 3	22 of 107	0 of 2	0 of 0
3	Aiemann Zahabi	38 of 65	58%	37 of 64	1 of 1	0 of 0	38 of 65	0 of 0	0 of 0
Pedro Munhoz	47 of 146	32%	43 of 139	2 of 4	2 of 3	47 of 146	0 of 0	0 of 0

Pedro Munhoz vs. Aiemann Zahabi
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Zahabi (-115), Munhoz (-105)

Round 1
Posting one win in each of the last four years, Tristar Gym’s Zahabi (11-2, 5-2 UFC) has slowly but surely figured things out and climbed the bantamweight ladder. He earns a top-15 adversary in Munhoz (20-9, 2 NC; 10-9, 2 NC UFC), who on the wrong end of his 30s plans on showing there are still levels to this game. Referee Jerin Valel will officiate the preliminary headliner, one that commences as the sportsmen clap hands. Munhoz awkwardly shifts his way forward, throwing Zahabi off with his unusual hopping non-rhythm. Zahabi cannot get a time on him, and he resorts to backing off and lifting his leg up preemptively expecting leg kicks to fly. No strike is thrown for the first 50 seconds until Munhoz says hello with a guard-piercing jab. Munhoz walks Zahabi down and jabs him in the face again, and his front kick does the same to the body. Zahabi lumbers forward with two looping hooks, and a third bounces off the guard. Zahabi pounds the body with a kick, and Munhoz jabs him back to the fence. Zahabi’s big swings are parried or met with jabs, as Munhoz throws straight strikes while keeping his guard up. Zahabi whips another kick to the liver, and he scoops a left hand over the top. Munhoz stays right in Zahabi’s face, reddening him with jabs and slipping counters. Zahabi gets hold of a right hook that Munhoz cannot dodge, but it does not irritate the Brazilian in the slightest. Munhoz sneaks a high kick up, and when he bends over to evade the counters, he ducks into a knee. Zahabi stabs his toes to the liver, and Munhoz’ jab-heavy approach does not falter. Munhoz follows a jab with a left hook, and he swats away a lunging Zahabi and his combo. Zahabi looks for another knee as Munhoz bends, but he does not set it up and instead tags Munhoz in the face with a pair of flush punches. Munhoz jabs and lands a right, and Zahabi works the body and head in response. Zahabi scores a left hook on an advancing Munhoz, and Munhoz throws a low kick and stuffs a takedown shot. Munhoz jabs and sets up a straight right hand and a sharp kick to the ribs. Zahabi keeps his guard up to defend an elbow, and he evades a looping right hand by a matter of inches. Munhoz jabs his way into range, and he is backed off by a pair of jabs from the Canadian. Zahabi gets a high kick up, and they trade hands until the time hits 5:00.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz

Round 2
Munhoz offers a glove touch that is accepted, and he follows it with a few jabs. Munhoz uses the jab to smack Zahabi in the face with a right hand, and Zahabi fires back with a head kick followed by a few punches. Munhoz walks into a knee as he is pressing the action fearlessly, and he does not let Zahabi land without firing back relentlessly. Munhoz opens up with five punches that largely bounce off the guard, and Zahabi works the body with a kick. Zahabi slings an elbow as Munhoz advances, and Munhoz’ jabs are now more frequently being followed with power punches. Munhoz eats a right hand and tries to give one back, and Zahab kicks him in the side again. Munhoz dips and strikes, and he absorbs an uppercut without concern. Munhoz scores a solid right hand that sends Zahabi staggering to the right for a second, but the Canadian steels himself and strikes Munhoz repeatedly with hard jabs. Munhoz is right there in his grill hitting him back, and these two are unloading on one another. Zahabi times a break with a heavy body kick, and the punch salvos of three or more fly from both sides. Zahabi eats a right hand so he can sit down on a clean right counter, and Munhoz smiles and walks him down to slug him back. Munhoz ducks to shoot for a takedown, swelling growing under his left eye, and he cannot ground the Tristar-trained competitor. Munhoz lands a low kick and is jabbed back, but he opens up with right hand into a takedown. Zahabi smoothly sprawls and fights behind his jab, dealing well with Munhoz’ constant pressure. Munhoz slams another leg kick home, opening up a few punches up top. Zahabi strafes to the side when Munhoz swarms him, and he jabs twice and takes a thudding right hand on the temple. Zahabi lands a left and a hooking right, and he stops a double-leg entry without issue and knees “The Young Punisher” in the gut. Zahabi sets up a few punches after the knee, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi

Round 3
Munhoz comes out firing in the last round, with both rounds somewhat close and potentially everything up for grabs in the last five-minute stanza. Munhoz plods forward throwing big hands, and Zahabi’s defense protects from most of it. Munhoz jabs to the body with a foot and up high with a fist, and he parries a counter to put two fists on the dome of his foe. Munhoz rolls with a punch, walks into a right hand and responds with a pair of punches. Zahabi gets a knee up the middle, and Munhoz sends him wobbling back with a couple heavy blows. The fighters continue to trade without fear, and Munhoz has the volume advantage but gets a cut opened up on the right side of his right eye. Zahabi’s jabs target that spot with impunity, and Munhoz completely ignores it to load up on volume punches. Zahabi’s jab is money, forcing Munhoz to wipe his eye. Zahabi shoots for a takedown, and Munhoz stuffs it and splits the guard with a trio of strikes. Zahabi dips to score a right and snaps the head back with a jab, but “The Young Punisher” is right in front of him putting hands on him. They jab at the same time, and Munhoz has three fists flying immediately after launching it. Zahabi’s guard stops the Brazilian from most of his strike getting through, and he stops a takedown with ease. Munhoz charges recklessly with lunging punches, and the counters from Zahabi further chew up Munhoz’ face. Munhoz gets caught with a right hand and hits his seat, and he jumps back up to put hands on jaw. Munhoz scores two right hands over the top, and he motions for Zahabi to swang and bang with him. There is a failed takedown as they trade leather, and Valel gets between them as time expires but they just want to hug it out.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Zahabi)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Zahabi)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Zahabi)

The Official Result
Aiemann Zahabi def. Pedro Munhoz via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Oct 27, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Aiemann Zahabi

Angelo picks Aiemann Zahabi due to high fight IQ and a well-trained corner (brother Firas). He notes Pedro Munhoz is a volume striker with dangerous BJJ but negative striking differential. He thinks Zahabi's point-fighting style could work, but if he just sits on right hands, Munhoz will touch him up. He says over 2.5 rounds is probably safe but likely won't bet this fight.

over 2.5 rounds is probably safe

"aan is going to be the pick because of the high fight IQ because of the the well-trained corner"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 30, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Big Brady picks Pedro Munhoz to win by decision. He criticizes Zahabi's low output (3.43 significant strikes per minute) and boring style, while Munhoz is more active (5.32 per minute) and has fought tougher competition. Brady likes Munhoz's leg kicks, durability, and takedown defense. He notes that Zahabi does nothing in the cage and that Munhoz's experience against top fighters gives him the edge.

"ped mun is by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Oct 30, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Cody picks Pedro Munhoz, citing his durability and higher level of competition. He notes that Munhoz has fought top bantamweights and has a BJJ black belt, though he rarely uses it. He believes Munhoz's aggression and pressure could overwhelm Zahabi, but acknowledges the fight is close and could go either way. He is wary of hometown judging but sides with the Brazilian.

"I'll go with P J Munoz who historically just has like decent you know a very very very good durability."

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked Oct 30, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Daniel Vreeland picks Pedro Munhoz, despite acknowledging his decline from a top-five ranking. He believes Munhoz's higher output, calf kicks, and durability (never knocked down) will be too much for Aiemann Zahabi. Vreeland notes that Zahabi is 36 and not a young prospect, and that Munhoz's experience and pace should earn him a close decision, though he admits a Canadian bias could affect judging.

"go Pedro Munoz here"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2024 (2 days before fight)

Aiemann Zahabi

Zahabi is on a Cinderella run with upset victories in his last four wins. He will out-strike and out-volume Munhoz en route to a decision victory.

"Look for him to go out there and pick up his biggest Victory this weekend as he out strikes and out volumes Munoz on route to a decision Victory."

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 30, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Aiemann Zahabi

Paul picks Aiemann Zahabi, arguing that Munhoz is older (38) and has slowed down, while Zahabi is fresher with less mileage. He notes Zahabi's reach advantage and precise striking, and believes he can keep Munhoz at range with his jab. He also mentions Zahabi's four-fight winning streak and momentum, and that Munhoz's aggressive style plays into Zahabi's counter-striking game.

"I'll take a a hobby cuz the lines pretty well even."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2024 (2 days before fight)

Aiemann Zahabi

The Guru picks Aiemann Zahabi over Pedro Munhoz, believing Munhoz is declining. He notes Zahabi's movement and strategy from the Firas Zahabi camp, and expects Zahabi to pick apart Munhoz's dipping, hook-swinging style. He predicts a close decision, possibly 29-28.

close decision

"I'm GNA go with amen zahabi I don't think he puts away Pedro manoz but I think he can figure out that style of mun where he just comes in all Twitchy with his hands"

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Kyler Phillips

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 299: O'Malley vs. Vera 2 · Mar 09, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Kyler Phillips	0	52 of 140	37%	52 of 140	1 of 8	12%	0	0	0:24
Pedro Munhoz	0	114 of 275	41%	115 of 276	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:02

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Kyler Phillips	19 of 54	35%	19 of 54	1 of 4	25%	0:24
1	Pedro Munhoz	55 of 120	45%	56 of 121	0 of 0	---	0:02
2	Kyler Phillips	20 of 42	47%	20 of 42	0 of 2	0%	0:00
2	Pedro Munhoz	32 of 75	42%	32 of 75	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Kyler Phillips	13 of 44	29%	13 of 44	0 of 2	0%	0:00
3	Pedro Munhoz	27 of 80	33%	27 of 80	0 of 0	---	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Kyler Phillips	52 of 140	37%	23 of 99	17 of 24	12 of 17	48 of 134	3 of 5	1 of 1
Pedro Munhoz	114 of 275	41%	74 of 224	17 of 24	23 of 27	111 of 269	2 of 5	1 of 1

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Kyler Phillips	19 of 54	35%	11 of 44	5 of 5	3 of 5	17 of 50	1 of 3	1 of 1
1	Pedro Munhoz	55 of 120	45%	41 of 104	6 of 8	8 of 8	52 of 114	2 of 5	1 of 1
2	Kyler Phillips	20 of 42	47%	7 of 22	7 of 12	6 of 8	20 of 42	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Pedro Munhoz	32 of 75	42%	16 of 56	8 of 9	8 of 10	32 of 75	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Kyler Phillips	13 of 44	29%	5 of 33	5 of 7	3 of 4	11 of 42	2 of 2	0 of 0
3	Pedro Munhoz	27 of 80	33%	17 of 64	3 of 7	7 of 9	27 of 80	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Phillips (-238), Munhoz (+195)

Round 1
In the talent-rich no-nonsense bantamweight division, speed sells, and both Munhoz (20-8, 2 NC; 10-8, 2 NC UFC) and Phillips (11-2, 5-1 UFC) are buying. Nine years the elder, Munhoz has served as the more active man of the two over the last few years. Referee Keith Peterson is ready to keep up with these two talented competitors, whether they need 15 seconds or 15 minutes to get things done. The fighters touch ‘em up to begin, and Munhoz moves forward, only to dodge a low kick and a pair of jabs. Phillips reaches his foe with a second leg kick, and Munhoz leaps forward to grab the leg and take the fight down. Phillips spins with a wheel kick that draws audible gasps but does not connect, and he chains a few punches into it to keep Munhoz from crowding him. “The Young Punisher” gets inside to land a right hand, and Phillips scores back with his own offense. Munhoz intercepts a striking Phillips to tackle him to the mat. Munhoz leaps into the guard, but Phillips kicks him off and pushes off with a finger when getting to his feet. Peterson sees this and allows Munhoz to recover, and Munhoz only takes a few seconds before he is ready to go. The two bantamweights jab at one another, and Phillips whips a head kick after. Both men throw leg kicks, and Munhoz crowds him and lands punches that force Phillips to turn away and escape on the edge of the cage. Munhoz pushes out a front kick, and Phillips times a right hand over the top. The two measure one another in single strikes, and Phillips kicks low and buzzes the hair with a kick. Phillips keeps his long jab outstretched, and he leans back when Munhoz wings inaccurate but powerful punches at him. Phillips dodges and spins with a back kick, and he drives a knee on the chin that stings Munhoz. Phillips unloads with a barrage of punches and kicks, and he further tags Munhoz in his long series of strikes. Munhoz gathers himself and throws back, and he knees him in the face. Phillips jabs out his finger while rattling off a long combo, and he jams it into Munhoz’ eye. Phillips also cuts Munhoz, and it was a punch that cause it and not the poke. When they get back to it, Munhoz wipes his eye and engages in a brawl. Phillips sticks and moves, landing flush and getting shoved back with a front kick. Phillips nods at him and eats a left hook that cuts him on the cheek. The fast and furious round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Phillips

Round 2
The cut on the eyelid of Munhoz is not sealed between rounds, and blood leaks from it to start off the round. Phillips sprints forward to attack, and Munhoz is right there to greet him with strikes including a pair of low kicks. Phillips has a one-two bounce off the guard, and he comes up short with a hook kick. Munhoz checks a low kick, and he dips down to rip a left to the body. Phillips kicks him back in the leg, and Munhoz is right there to chop him back. They both crack one another with left hooks, and Munhoz slips and scores a right. Phillips connects with a solid right hand, and Munhoz’ chin is made of sterner stuff. Phillips grazes the hair with a fast head kick, and he swats away a jabbing front kick. Phillips rifles off several jabs while Munhoz comes at him, and he evades the heavier of the strikes coming his way. They both go low with a kick, and Munhoz has his guard raised to block a standing elbow but it cannot defend against a body kick after it. Munhoz keeps his head movement on full display as he dodges and ducks vicious strikes like a spinning back fist, and he remains right close to Phillips. Phillips kicks him in the mouth, and Munhoz takes it cleanly and wades forward to throw back. Munhoz shoulder-rolls when a right hand comes down the pipe, and he parries a left hook. The two trade leg kicks, and Phillips hops forward and stomps the side with a kick. Phillips digs a left to the body and right to the head, and Munhoz does not bat an eye. Phillips chains punches together into a low kick, and he slides back before Munhoz can reach him. Munhoz scores a single body kick, but it is one-and-done while Phillips is largely more active. Phillips gets off a right and a left, and he leapfrogs Munhoz when Munhoz ducks down. Phillips spins with a wheel kick that tags Munhoz, and he stops a potential takedown from coming at the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Phillips

Round 3
Munhoz sprints out of his corner ready to engage, and he tosses out a glove touch before darting in to shoot for a takedown. Phillips staves it off and pops out several jabs, keeping him away from the right hand of the Brazilian. They both smack one another with leg kicks, and then aim body shots. Phillips lands a right to the body and a spinning back kick to the other side. Munhoz jabs his way in and misses with an overhand right, and Phillips jabs and paws at the damaged eye of his opponent. Phillips shimmies as he dodges, and he flicks out a front kick that lands on the chin. The two clinch up, but nothing comes of it as Phillips is out of range when he tries to reach a left hand on the break. Phillips strafes to the side and lands a right hand up top along with a body kick. Munhoz scores a low kick, but Phillips is right in his face with punches and his own leg kick. Munhoz snaps the head back with a jab, and he absorbs a clean leg kick in response. Phillips looks to counter a leg kick with a right hand over the top, and he bounces and moves to flick out jabs. Munhoz times a right hand while Phillips is bouncing around, and Phillips has to reset. Phillips slaps a leg kick in the outer lead leg, and he steps in with a left hook and whips a head kick up on the other side. Munhoz does not bat an eye, and he spins with a back kick aimed at Phillips’ head but cannot reach him. Munhoz prods out a front kick, only to get driven back by punches and a head kick. Phillips kicks low to stop Munhoz from getting to him. It temporarily disrupts Munhoz’ constant forward movement, but Munhoz is quick to get back to racing forward. Phillips has a head kick bounce off the guard, and he clips Munhoz with an overhand right. “The Matrix” styles on his opponent with punches that leads to a spinning kick, and the fight ends as Phillips attempts and lands a back flip to celebrate.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (30-27 Phillips)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (30-27 Phillips)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Phillips (30-27 Phillips)

The Official Result
Kyler Phillips def. Pedro Munhoz via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Mar 3, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Kyler Phillips

Angelo leans Kyler Phillips due to his youth, cardio, and well-rounded game, but acknowledges Pedro Munhoz is the better fighter on paper. He notes Munhoz is 37 and has only one win in five fights, while Phillips is younger and has momentum. He won't bet because the odds on Phillips are too wide for an untested fighter.

"I gotta lean Kyler Phillips here no bets though I don't trust Kyler I think these odds are too far gone as well he's too big of a favorite considering this is his toughest test of his career"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 5, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Kyler Phillips

Big Brady picks Kyler Phillips to win by decision. He likes Phillips' movement, volume, and sneaky power, and notes that Munhoz has been outlanded in recent fights. He expects Phillips to win the first two rounds and possibly drop the third, winning 29-28. He also mentions a PrizePicks play on Phillips under 2.5 takedowns.

win by decision; PrizePicks: Kyler Phillips under 2.5 takedowns

"give me Phillips give me Phillips to win this fight by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Mar 6, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Kyler Phillips

Cody acknowledges Phillips' speed and athleticism but worries about his cardio and durability. He thinks Phillips can win the first two rounds with movement and volume, but Munhoz's durability and pressure could lead to a late finish or decision for Munhoz.

"I'm still going to pre-fight bet Kyler Phillips but this is this is like apple pie [ __ ] potential one that you're going to watch and you're going to feel pretty bad about"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked Mar 6, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Kyler Phillips

Daniel leans towards Phillips due to youth, speed, and explosiveness. He notes Phillips goes balls to the wall and may fatigue, but Munhoz has also slowed down in later rounds recently. Daniel is not interested at the price but picks Phillips to win.

"I'm going to lean a little bit towards Kyler just not interested at this price"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 4, 2024 (5 days before fight)

Kyler Phillips

Phillips has a speed, footwork, and technical striking advantage that should allow him to dance around at range and touch up Munhoz. He tends to fade in the third round due to cardio issues, but he should win the first two rounds clearly and survive the third. Munhoz is a tough veteran with power and forward pressure, but his short reach and tendency to get outpointed by technical strikers is a concern. Phillips should put on a similar performance to his win over Barcelos, using movement and output to win a decision.

"I think Phillips's movement uh his ability to kind of just see the kicks coming will allow him to either check the kicks or get out of the way and then just get back to his handywork of touching MOS …"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Mar 6, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Kyler Phillips

Paul agrees with Cody's assessment, noting Phillips' reach and speed advantages. He thinks Phillips can win the first two rounds and hold on in the third, but acknowledges the risk of Munhoz's leg kicks and pressure.

"I'm going to side with you I'm going to say that he gets the first two rounds and then kind of holds on for deer life"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 5, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

The MMA Guru picks Pedro Munhoz, arguing that Kyler Phillips' flashy striking style relies on hurting opponents, but Munhoz has never been dropped or wobbled. He notes Munhoz's low kicks and durability, and that even Sean O'Malley couldn't do much to Munhoz. He predicts Munhoz will win a decision, possibly 29-28, or even a draw if Phillips wins early rounds.

decision

"I think monoz will get this one done by decision uh 29-28"

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Marlon Vera

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 292: Sterling vs. O'Malley · Aug 19, 2023

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Marlon Vera	0	141 of 251	56%	141 of 251	0 of 1	0%	0	0	0:00
Pedro Munhoz	0	113 of 246	45%	113 of 246	0 of 1	0%	0	0	0:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Marlon Vera	39 of 66	59%	39 of 66	0 of 1	0%	0:00
1	Pedro Munhoz	38 of 71	53%	38 of 71	0 of 1	0%	0:00
2	Marlon Vera	49 of 84	58%	49 of 84	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Pedro Munhoz	45 of 91	49%	45 of 91	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Marlon Vera	53 of 101	52%	53 of 101	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Pedro Munhoz	30 of 84	35%	30 of 84	0 of 0	---	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Marlon Vera	141 of 251	56%	109 of 212	9 of 14	23 of 25	138 of 246	3 of 4	0 of 1
Pedro Munhoz	113 of 246	45%	53 of 177	20 of 28	40 of 41	111 of 244	2 of 2	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Marlon Vera	39 of 66	59%	27 of 51	3 of 5	9 of 10	38 of 64	1 of 1	0 of 1
1	Pedro Munhoz	38 of 71	53%	14 of 44	8 of 11	16 of 16	38 of 71	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Marlon Vera	49 of 84	58%	37 of 71	2 of 3	10 of 10	49 of 84	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Pedro Munhoz	45 of 91	49%	23 of 64	7 of 11	15 of 16	45 of 91	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Marlon Vera	53 of 101	52%	45 of 90	4 of 6	4 of 5	51 of 98	2 of 3	0 of 0
3	Pedro Munhoz	30 of 84	35%	16 of 69	5 of 6	9 of 9	28 of 82	2 of 2	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Pedro Munhoz vs. Marlon Vera
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vera (-198), Munhoz (+164)

Round 1
The UFC made the best of a rough situation when Henry Cejudo withdrew from this matchup against Vera (20-8-1, 14-7 UFC). With about a month to prepare, Munhoz (20-7, 2 NC; 10-7, 2 NC UFC) is more than ready to rise to the occasion and battle it out tooth-and-nail for 15 hard minutes. Neither man has ever been finished, so referee Herb Dean could be in it for the long haul. These two action-packed bantamweights meet in the middle with a glove touch, and Vera immediately takes the center of the cage to lord over it. Munhoz strikes first with a body kick, and he chains a leg kick into it. Vera keeps his hands high but Munhoz gets a right hand in, and the two end up clashing shins at the same time. Vera catches a kick and knocks Munhoz down to the ground, and he nearly lands an illegal soccer kick but pulls back at the last second. Munhoz gets right back up, and he starts chasing Vera with looping punches. Munhoz mixes in leg kicks, and Vera pierces the guard with a sharp jab. Both fighters trade front kicks, and Munhoz chips away at him with strikes to the legs and body. Vera ignores a front kick to the midsection and blocks a right hand, and Munhoz comes at him with a head kick that slides off the raised guard. Vera pops out another jab, and he parries the strikes from Munhoz that come his way. Vera connects with a hefty leg kick, and he snaps the head back with a straight left hand. Vera’s jab intercepts “The Young Punisher” crashing the pocket, and he hops back to avoid a body shot. Munhoz shoots in from a distance for a takedown, and Vera stifles it and responds with a jab and a leg kick. Munhoz’ nose is already starting to redden up, and Vera releases a low kick and a one-two. Munhoz charges, and Vera counters him with a knee that rebounds off the forearm of his opponent. Vera strings together three punches that do not find their home, but a jab does when Munhoz chops at his lead heel. Vera lets go with his hands in a short exchange, and Munhoz connects with two thudding left hands over the top. Munhoz fires off a right hook, and Vera replies with a front kick that grazes past his cheek. Munhoz swarms with two punches before changing stances and swinging with one more. Vera lands a leg kick and continues damaging Munhoz’ nose with jabs, and he stops Munhoz from backing him off thanks to his jab. Vera digs a left to the body, and he keeps his jab flowing. Munhoz elects to mimic this with three straight jabs, and leg kicks come from both fighters. Vera checks a leg kick and darts away when Munhoz throws hands, and Vera resets with a front kick and a swatting left hook. The close round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz

Round 2
The bantamweights come together in the middle of the cage, with Munhoz pushing out an immediate front kick. Vera slips punches and counters, and Munhoz lands another front kick to the body. Vera misses a head kick by a few inches, and he buzzes the hair with a second kick. Munhoz looses a big right hand, and Vera rolls with it and counters with a jab. Vera goes up high with a kick, and Munhoz swings a left hook that grazes past the target. Vera jabs a few times and parries a front kick to the side, and he connects with a thumping leg kick. Munhoz spams front kick, and Vera stands him up with a left hook on the inside. Vera peppers the nose with another sharp jab, and Munhoz lashes back with a strong leg kick and a left hook. Vera tanks it and kicks back on the lead wheel, and he paws out three punches that bounce off the gloves. Munhoz misses with a two-punch string, and he lands on a second effort. The right hands land from Munhoz, and Vera evades a spinning kick with ease. Vera gets in a short left hook, and he walks through a few leg kicks and has punches blocked. Munhoz plants a right hand down the pipe, and he backs off as he eats a body shot and protects his mug from a head kick. Munhoz plows forward and connects with a left, and they get off jabs at the same time. Munhoz follows it with a left hook, and they decide to dish out leg kicks one after the other. Vera nails his foe with a right hand, and Munhoz shakes it off and rubs his nose. Munhoz lands two straight right hands that Vera takes flush without batting an eye, and they swing their fists but end up missing with their exchanges. Vera slides a punch to land a left, and Munhoz whips a right hand over the top. Vera checks a leg kick and snaps out a jab, and a left and a right knock him back a few steps. Vera looks to catch a low kick and counter with a right hand, and he works the body as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz

Round 3
They clap hands to get started with one final round, and they both swing leg kicks at the same time. Vera checks a kick and strikes with his jab, and Dean tells him to watch his fingers. Vera connects with a left to the body and a right to the head, and he clubs Munhoz with a right hand as Munhoz comes his way. Munhoz fires back when Vera lands on him, and he splits the guard with a right hand. The two hand-fight, and Vera tries to check a low kick. Vera stings Munhoz with a jab, and a second makes Munhoz blink it out. Vera goes with a left to the ribs and a right up top, and Munhoz considers taking the fight down as he is stunned. Vera continues to crush Munhoz’ nose with his jab, and Munhoz is fighting back but it is starting to get to him. Munhoz absorbs a flush one-two, and he swings for the fences only to get nailed with a left hook. Munhoz is there every step of the way, but his face is starting to show serious damage. Vera hammers a left to the body that bends Munhoz over, but Munhoz gathers himself and blitzes forward. Vera stands firm and fires out his piston-like jab, and Munhoz has no answer to it other than to try to get his own going as well. Vera checks a kick and puts three punches on the chin of his opponent, and Munhoz is tough but gets stung with two vicious lefts. Munhoz takes a flush jab and shakes his head only to crash forward, and even though he lands, Vera is hitting him much harder. Vera brings a high kick up top for good measure, and he jabs up Munhoz’ face. Vera blocks two punches and lands a right, and Munhoz slips the follow-up and kicks the body twice. Vera nods at him and wings a left hand, and Munhoz shoulder-rolls and counters. Vera plants his fist on the Brazilian’s chin three times in rapid succession, and he ignores a counter. Vera starts showboating, and he steps back as Munhoz spins with two unsuccessful kicks. Vera hoots, and he drops his hands and puts them behind his back. Before Munhoz can reach him, the razor-close matchup comes to a close. It could be anybody’s fight, and judges will have their hands full scoring the first two rounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Munhoz)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Munhoz)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Munhoz)

The Official Result
Marlon Vera def. Pedro Munhoz via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Aug 13, 2023 (6 days before fight)

Marlon Vera

Angelo picks Marlon Vera despite acknowledging red flags: Vera is overrated, has been outstruck in his last four fights, and lacks urgency. However, he believes Pedro Munhoz's orthodox striking style plays into Vera's strengths, as Vera excels against fighters who stand in front of him. He also notes Munhoz is on short notice. He has Vera in a parlay.

Parlay with Zhang Weili

"Cheeto Vera is the pick I have money on him I've got him in a nice little parlay... Pedro Munoz is going to come forward work that low leg kick and stand in front of Cheeto and cheeto's gonna blast …"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Lean picked Aug 12, 2023 (7 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Big Brady picks Pedro Munhoz as a slight underdog, expecting a split decision. He notes Vera is a slow starter who loses first rounds and has been outstruck in four of his last five fights. Munhoz has never been knocked out or knocked down, and Brady believes the fight will be close, favoring the dog.

win by decision

"I'll take uh the dog and Pedro Munoz to pull it off and I'll take Munoz to win this fight by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Aug 15, 2023 (4 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Cody highlights Vera's notorious slow starts, often losing the first round, which is problematic in a three-round fight. Munhoz has a good chin and Jiu-Jitsu, and could capitalize if Vera starts slow. He suggests live betting Vera after the first round if he loses it, but officially picks Munhoz as a live underdog.

live bet Vera after round 1

"for me personally yeah I'm gonna have to take some underdogs here and there so yeah so the official pick will be Pedro Munoz"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Aug 17, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Marlon Vera

Daniel Levi picks Marlon Vera, believing Vera will push the pace in the second and third rounds and win a decision. He notes that Vera struggles against longer fighters or those who put him on his back, but here Vera is the longer man. Levi thinks Vera will use front kicks and knees, and that Munoz slows down as fights progress. He also mentions that neither fighter has been finished, but both are hittable, so a finish is possible.

Vera by decision; possibility of first finish for either fighter

"I think Vera is going to push the pace second third rounds and get this decision"

Half the Battle

Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Aug 18, 2023 (1 day before fight)

Marlon Vera

Lucrative James picks Marlon Vera to win, possibly by finish, despite Munhoz never being finished in 28 fights. He notes Vera's reach and height advantages, and believes Munhoz's durability may be declining. He expects Vera to pull away in rounds 2 and 3.

"I think Vera is going to win the fight I think he could even finish"

Lucrative MMA

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Aug 15, 2023 (4 days before fight)

Marlon Vera

Vera is the more diverse striker and should land damaging blows as the fight goes on. However, Munhoz is durable and can win early rounds with forward pressure. The over 2.5 rounds is the best bet as Vera likely wins rounds 2 and 3 by decision. The moneyline is not worth it due to Vera's slow starts.

over 2.5 rounds

"I still lean chitovera here but I think you know taking the over two and a half is probably the best way to go about it"

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 14, 2023 (5 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

The MMA Guru picks Pedro Munhoz over Marlon Vera. He argues Vera relies on finishing opponents late, but Munhoz never gets wobbled, never slows down, and has fought the who's who of bantamweight. He notes Vera struggles in three-round fights and Munhoz's leg kicks and pressure will annoy Vera. He predicts a 29-28 decision for Munhoz.

decision 29-28

"I'm going with Pedro Munoz bad decision 29-28"

THE MMA GURU

WIN vs Chris Gutierrez

DEC R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen · Apr 15, 2023

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

Connor picks Gutierrez, agreeing that Munhoz has lost his edge since moving to American Top Team. He notes that Munhoz's old Kings MMA style of relentless pressure is gone, replaced by a more tentative approach. Connor believes Gutierrez's consistent output and target selection will outwork Munhoz, who has become too passive and reliant on a jab and footwork that don't suit his natural aggression.

"I think Gutierrez is way too consistent and again not picky about the targets that he accepts at that range."

MMA Vivisection

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

Zane picks Gutierrez, highlighting his improvement and confidence versus Munhoz's decline. He notes that Munhoz has lost his aggressive, four-limbed attack and become more technical but less effective. Zane believes Gutierrez's volume, kicking game, and ability to attack all targets will overwhelm Munhoz, who has poor defensive footwork and has been vulnerable to leg kicks historically.

Gutierrez opened -230, now -195; Munhoz opened +200, now +173. Zane does not mention betting.

"I kind of just think Gutierrez is going to be too much for him to handle."

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs Sean O'Malley

No Contest (accidental eye poke) R2 3:09 · UFC 276: Adesanya vs. Cannonier · Jul 02, 2022

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Pedro Munhoz	0	26 of 41	63%	26 of 41	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00
Sean O'Malley	0	25 of 47	53%	25 of 47	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Pedro Munhoz	19 of 25	76%	19 of 25	0 of 0	---	0:00
1	Sean O'Malley	15 of 26	57%	15 of 26	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Pedro Munhoz	7 of 16	43%	7 of 16	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Sean O'Malley	10 of 21	47%	10 of 21	0 of 0	---	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Pedro Munhoz	26 of 41	63%	0 of 9	0 of 2	26 of 30	26 of 41	0 of 0	0 of 0
Sean O'Malley	25 of 47	53%	14 of 30	8 of 14	3 of 3	25 of 47	0 of 0	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Pedro Munhoz	19 of 25	76%	0 of 3	0 of 0	19 of 22	19 of 25	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Sean O'Malley	15 of 26	57%	7 of 13	5 of 10	3 of 3	15 of 26	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Pedro Munhoz	7 of 16	43%	0 of 6	0 of 2	7 of 8	7 of 16	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Sean O'Malley	10 of 21	47%	7 of 17	3 of 4	0 of 0	10 of 21	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Pedro Munhoz vs. Sean O'Malley
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: O’Malley (-300), Munhoz (+250)

Round 1
Kicking off the main card is another fight that could have served as the main event of a Fight Night offering recently, as established veteran Munhoz (19-7, 1 NC; 9-7, 1 NC UFC) looks to shut down the “Sugar Show” of O’Malley (15-1, 7-1 UFC) at bantamweight. Feet and fists are sure to fly fervently, but not before referee Jason Herzog checks them in. The gloves are expectedly not touched given O’Malley’s chatter ahead of the fight, and they land leg kicks at the same time to start things off. O’Malley keeps a wide berth from afar, with a distance where even he cannot land with his significant reach advantage. They are cautious to engage, and O’Malley tosses out a few front kicks while Munhoz goes to the calf repeatedly. O’Malley loads up on an overhand right, and he checks a calf kick that zooms at him. Munhoz checks one in response, and he sweeps low with his rear leg. O’Malley pierces the guard with a jab, and Munhoz circles away and lands a solid leg kick as O’Malley switches stances. The American pokes out a few jabs but little else, and he leaps back as the low kick comes towards him. “Sugar Sean” spins with a back kick, and Munhoz is out of harm’s way in time. Munhoz hammers the leg multiples times, and O’Malley steps forward with a front kick and a straight right hand down the pipe. O’Malley slaps a front kick out, and it bangs into the cup. Herzog spots it immediately, and the crowd boos him despite that the foul lands cleanly. Munhoz takes less than a minute to get back to action, and O’Malley comes out throwing hands. Munhoz answers him with a barrage of leg kicks from both legs, and he appears fired up and walking O’Malley down. They continue to pepper the lead legs of one another with kicks, and Munhoz fires off a high kick that gets blocked in time. Munhoz bears down on him with a chopping kick, and they add up as O’Malley tries to push him back with jabs. The pink-haired fighter spin with a back kick to the midsection, and Munhoz answers him as he plants down with a thudding kick. Munhoz whiffs on a spin kick, and O’Malley mocks him with a pirouette as the crowd guffaws. The tentative round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 O’Malley
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 O’Malley
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 O’Malley

Round 2
The second frame opens as Munhoz comes out running forward, and he switches stances every single time O’Malley does to mirror his stance and allow him to have effective leg kicks come out. Munhoz misses on a head kick, and a front kick as well as he pulls his leg back and lands awkwardly. O’Malley pokes out a few jabs to little effect, and Munhoz retreats and gets popped with a one-two. O’Malley spins with a wheel kick that just brushes past Munhoz’ hair, and one inch to the right could have spelled problems for the Brazilian. Munhoz kicks the midsection on his way in, and he swipes low with a kick. O’Malley absorbs a kick with an audible thud, and he loads up with a right hand that collides with the guard. O’Malley dings Munhoz with a straight right, and the Brazilian loads up on a low kick in response. Practically all of the strikes landed by “The Young Punisher” are leg kicks, and they are rarely more than single strikes. They continue to connect, and O’Malley, irritated from them, pops out a jab. Munhoz lands a punch, and O’Malley reaches out with his fingers outstretched to jab Munhoz in the eye. Munhoz turns away and tries to clear his vision. Herzog allows him to recover and calls in a doctor to give him more time, Munhoz seems to tell the doctor he cannot see out of his right eye. The doctor helps him wipe his eye, and Munhoz claims that all he sees is black from one eye. With that answer, Herzog and the physician properly call the fight off, as Munhoz cannot continue. This poke ruled an unintentional foul, it will go down as a no contest. This is an unfortunate ending to a competitive and intriguing bout, and hopefully the promotion can run it back in the near future.

The Official Result
Sean O’Malley vs. Pedro Munhoz is ruled a No Contest (Accidental Eye Poke) R2 3:09

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 26, 2022 (6 days before fight)

Sean O'Malley

Angelo picks Sean O'Malley, citing his accuracy and athletic striking. He believes Munhoz's volume and forward pressure will work against him as O'Malley sticks and moves. He expresses frustration with the matchup, feeling Munhoz is being fed to a rising star, but still sees O'Malley winning a decision.

"I think sean o'malley gets this done i i just hate it"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 28, 2022 (4 days before fight)

Sean O'Malley

Big Brady is confident in Sean O'Malley, citing his size, speed, and striking advantage. He notes Munhoz is hittable and absorbs many strikes, but worries about O'Malley's leg kicks and durability. He predicts O'Malley wins by decision, as Munhoz has never been knocked out.

O'Malley by decision

"i like o'malley to win i do have my concerns though in terms of laying like minus 300 just about on this guy but um i think he should win this fight and win it by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 29, 2022 (3 days before fight)

Sean O'Malley

Cody acknowledges Munhoz's path to victory via leg kicks and pressure, but notes Munhoz has declined and lacks wrestling. He thinks O'Malley's reach and speed will be decisive, and that Munhoz hasn't landed a takedown since 2018. He picks O'Malley as the rightful favorite.

"I think he's the rightful favorite and if Munoz just had a shred of wrestling I'd be all over this plus 275 but I'm not gonna get there"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 30, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Sean O'Malley

Daniel Levi is confident in Sean O'Malley, having bet 5 units to win 2 at -250. He believes O'Malley's height, reach, volume, and stance switching will be too much for Munhoz, who is there to be hit and may be on the decline. Levi dismisses the leg kick narrative, noting that O'Malley can mitigate it by fighting southpaw. He respects Munhoz's guillotine and calf kicks but thinks O'Malley's evolution and youth give him the edge.

Bet 5 units to win 2 at -250; got best of the line.

"i bet sean o'malley at -250 to win two units... i think it's going to be sean o'malley's night saturday"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Jul 1, 2022 (1 day before fight)

Sean O'Malley

O'Malley is faster and more technical, but Munhoz has never been knocked out and has good leg kicks. O'Malley should win by decision, staying on the outside and avoiding leg kicks. The host is not confident in a finish and prefers the decision prop.

O'Malley by decision +150; over 2.5 rounds

"i was leaning the o'malley by decision"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 29, 2022 (3 days before fight)

Sean O'Malley

Paul agrees with Cody that O'Malley's reach advantage and volume will be key. He notes Munhoz's lack of wrestling makes it hard to back him at +275. He picks O'Malley to win.

"I think he's the rightful favorite"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 27, 2022 (5 days before fight)

Sean O'Malley

The MMA Guru picks Sean O'Malley, citing his elusiveness, range advantage (7-inch reach), and ability to slow down pressure fighters. He believes Pedro Munhoz has declined and that O'Malley's front kicks and leg kicks will be key. He predicts O'Malley will pick Munhoz apart and win a decision, noting Munhoz's lack of offensive wrestling.

"i'm going to go sean o'malley"

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Dominick Cruz

Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier · Dec 11, 2021

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Dominick Cruz	1	74 of 170	43%	79 of 175	0 of 1	0%	0	0	0:10
Pedro Munhoz	0	103 of 274	37%	105 of 276	1 of 9	11%	0	0	0:06

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Dominick Cruz	1	21 of 45	46%	26 of 50	0 of 0	---	0:10
1	Pedro Munhoz	0	25 of 51	49%	25 of 51	1 of 2	50%	0:03
2	Dominick Cruz	0	27 of 57	47%	27 of 57	0 of 1	0%	0:00
2	Pedro Munhoz	0	35 of 113	30%	35 of 113	0 of 2	0%	0:00
3	Dominick Cruz	0	26 of 68	38%	26 of 68	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Pedro Munhoz	0	43 of 110	39%	45 of 112	0 of 5	0%	0:03

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Dominick Cruz	74 of 170	43%	45 of 128	10 of 16	19 of 26	73 of 168	1 of 2	0 of 0
Pedro Munhoz	103 of 274	37%	79 of 240	13 of 23	11 of 11	100 of 270	2 of 3	1 of 1

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Dominick Cruz	21 of 45	46%	14 of 33	2 of 5	5 of 7	20 of 44	1 of 1	0 of 0
1	Pedro Munhoz	25 of 51	49%	18 of 42	5 of 7	2 of 2	23 of 49	1 of 1	1 of 1
2	Dominick Cruz	27 of 57	47%	12 of 39	5 of 5	10 of 13	27 of 56	0 of 1	0 of 0
2	Pedro Munhoz	35 of 113	30%	30 of 105	2 of 5	3 of 3	34 of 111	1 of 2	0 of 0
3	Dominick Cruz	26 of 68	38%	19 of 56	3 of 6	4 of 6	26 of 68	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Pedro Munhoz	43 of 110	39%	31 of 93	6 of 11	6 of 6	43 of 110	0 of 0	0 of 0

Big Brady Expert Lean picked Dec 8, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Dominick Cruz

Big Brady picks Dominick Cruz by decision, but with low confidence. He notes that Cruz has excellent striking defense (72%) and movement, and the bigger cage favors his footwork. Munoz is dangerous with leg kicks and submissions, but he absorbs a lot of strikes. Brady believes Cruz can stay on the outside and outpoint Munoz, but Munoz's power and grappling threat make this a close fight.

"i will pick him to win by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Dec 9, 2021 (2 days before fight)

Dominick Cruz

Daniel Levi picks Dominick Cruz to win by decision, citing Munhoz's struggles against point fighters. He notes that Munhoz gets hit frequently (six times per minute) and has lost to fighters like John Dodson and Frankie Edgar who use movement. Levi believes Cruz's footwork and elusiveness will frustrate Munhoz, and the larger octagon at T-Mobile gives Cruz more room. He acknowledges Munhoz's power and calf kicks but thinks Cruz can neutralize them. Levi sees Cruz winning a clear decision.

"give me dominic cruz to upset pedro munoz here saturday night"

Half the Battle

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 6, 2021 (5 days before fight)

Dominick Cruz

The MMA Guru picks Dominick Cruz to win by decision (29-28). He believes Cruz's footwork and range management will be problematic for Munhoz, who struggles against fighters who stay on the outside. He notes the bigger cage favors Cruz and that Munhoz has faded in recent fights.

29-28 decision

"i'm gonna go with dominic cruz i think his footwork is going to be a problem for pedro munoz"

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs José Aldo

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 265: Lewis vs. Gane · Aug 07, 2021

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
José Aldo	0	114 of 223	51%	114 of 223	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00
Pedro Munhoz	0	75 of 179	41%	75 of 179	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:10

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	José Aldo	25 of 60	41%	25 of 60	0 of 0	---	0:00
1	Pedro Munhoz	28 of 76	36%	28 of 76	0 of 0	---	0:01
2	José Aldo	42 of 95	44%	42 of 95	0 of 0	---	0:00
2	Pedro Munhoz	33 of 71	46%	33 of 71	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	José Aldo	47 of 68	69%	47 of 68	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Pedro Munhoz	14 of 32	43%	14 of 32	0 of 0	---	0:09

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
José Aldo	114 of 223	51%	74 of 168	32 of 47	8 of 8	114 of 223	0 of 0	0 of 0
Pedro Munhoz	75 of 179	41%	35 of 131	3 of 6	37 of 42	71 of 175	4 of 4	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	José Aldo	25 of 60	41%	13 of 40	12 of 20	0 of 0	25 of 60	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Pedro Munhoz	28 of 76	36%	11 of 54	2 of 4	15 of 18	27 of 75	1 of 1	0 of 0
2	José Aldo	42 of 95	44%	32 of 78	9 of 16	1 of 1	42 of 95	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Pedro Munhoz	33 of 71	46%	16 of 51	1 of 2	16 of 18	32 of 70	1 of 1	0 of 0
3	José Aldo	47 of 68	69%	29 of 50	11 of 11	7 of 7	47 of 68	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Pedro Munhoz	14 of 32	43%	8 of 26	0 of 0	6 of 6	12 of 30	2 of 2	0 of 0

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Aug 8, 2021 (fight day)

Pedro Munhoz

Angelo picks Munhoz, arguing that Aldo is likely older than his listed age (34) and may be on the wrong side of 40. He sees Munhoz as a younger, high-volume fighter with leg kicks who can come forward and win. He acknowledges Aldo's counter-striking but believes Munhoz's constant movement and pressure will be key.

"I have Munoz over Aldo... Jose Aldo is not 34 years old, Jose Aldo is 40 or higher... Munoz is like a younger, not as good Aldo... coming forward, lots of volume, tons of leg kicks."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Aug 3, 2021 (4 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Big Brady sees this as a very close fight between Aldo's power and Munhoz's volume. He leans toward Munhoz's volume, noting Aldo's low output in recent fights. He thinks Munhoz's durability (never finished) will allow him to outwork Aldo and win a decision. He calls it one of the toughest fights to call on the card.

"I'm going to say that Munoz does win this fight by decision."

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 4, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Cody picks Munhoz, arguing that Aldo fades in later rounds and Munhoz has excellent cardio and durability. He notes Aldo's recent reliance on grappling against Vera won't work against Munhoz. Cody sees Munhoz winning by decision after dropping the first round, and likes the live betting opportunity.

Munhoz by decision, live betting after round 1

"i'm going to go with pedro moon is on this one i think jose aldo since dropping down his seemingly you know caught a second win his career is you know he's still a top contender he's just not a …"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Aug 6, 2021 (1 day before fight)

Pedro Munhoz

Daniel Levi slightly leans Pedro Munhoz due to Munhoz's high output, durability, and pressure fighting style. He acknowledges that Aldo is technically superior and could win early rounds, but expects Munhoz to take over in the later rounds as Aldo fades. He also notes that Munhoz has been robbed by judges before, which makes him less confident, but he still picks Munhoz to get it done.

"I'm a slightly lean Pedro because of the output but man I would be lying if I said I was confident counting out a legend like Jose Aldo"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 5, 2021 (2 days before fight)

José Aldo

Aldo has shown he can adapt, using grappling to win rounds. He is the better striker and should check Munhoz's calf kicks. Munhoz is durable but gets hit a lot, and Aldo can outpoint him over three rounds. Aldo's cardio is better in three-round fights, and he should win a decision. Munhoz's path is marching forward and landing big shots, but Aldo's experience and technique should prevail.

Aldo by decision +180

"I like 34 year old aldo here against the guy in munoz who I think has kind of just been benefiting from that cody garbrandt knockout."

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert picked Aug 4, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Paul does not make a clear pick for this fight. He acknowledges Cody's reasoning and mentions interest in the under 2.5 rounds at +175, but does not commit to a side. He notes that Aldo may look good early but pace slows, and that grappling may not be an option for Aldo.

under 2.5 rounds +175

"i'm interested potentially in the under here we'll see we'll see how these guys look on the scales this week but i think under two and a half rounds of plus 175"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 1, 2021 (6 days before fight)

José Aldo

The MMA Guru picks José Aldo over Pedro Munhoz. He notes Aldo's size advantage, reach, and speed, and believes three rounds is not enough for Munhoz to wear on Aldo. He predicts Aldo will win the first two rounds and take a 29-28 decision. He mentions Aldo's body shots and Munhoz's vulnerability to body strikes.

"i'm gonna go with jose aldo here i think he's just too big"

THE MMA GURU

WIN vs Jimmie Rivera

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane · Feb 27, 2021

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Pedro Munhoz	0	94 of 194	48%	94 of 194	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:03
Jimmie Rivera	0	65 of 193	33%	65 of 193	1 of 5	20%	0	0	0:04

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Pedro Munhoz	37 of 72	51%	37 of 72	0 of 0	---	0:00
1	Jimmie Rivera	31 of 80	38%	31 of 80	0 of 1	0%	0:00
2	Pedro Munhoz	26 of 49	53%	26 of 49	0 of 0	---	0:03
2	Jimmie Rivera	18 of 50	36%	18 of 50	1 of 3	33%	0:04
3	Pedro Munhoz	31 of 73	42%	31 of 73	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Jimmie Rivera	16 of 63	25%	16 of 63	0 of 1	0%	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Pedro Munhoz	94 of 194	48%	35 of 115	19 of 27	40 of 52	93 of 193	1 of 1	0 of 0
Jimmie Rivera	65 of 193	33%	48 of 168	4 of 8	13 of 17	65 of 193	0 of 0	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Pedro Munhoz	37 of 72	51%	12 of 40	5 of 7	20 of 25	37 of 72	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Jimmie Rivera	31 of 80	38%	20 of 67	3 of 5	8 of 8	31 of 80	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Pedro Munhoz	26 of 49	53%	8 of 26	7 of 8	11 of 15	25 of 48	1 of 1	0 of 0
2	Jimmie Rivera	18 of 50	36%	14 of 43	0 of 0	4 of 7	18 of 50	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Pedro Munhoz	31 of 73	42%	15 of 49	7 of 12	9 of 12	31 of 73	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Jimmie Rivera	16 of 63	25%	14 of 58	1 of 3	1 of 2	16 of 63	0 of 0	0 of 0

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 24, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Jimmie Rivera

Big Brady picks Jimmie Rivera to win by decision. He highlights Rivera's 92% takedown defense and speed advantage. He notes Munhoz is extremely hittable, absorbing more strikes than he lands, and that Rivera will outvolume him. He thinks Munhoz needs a finish to win, but Rivera has only been knocked out once and Munhoz has never been finished. He mentions Rivera is in his prime and has lost only to top competition. He likes the moneyline at -150 and considers a decision prop.

decision win for Rivera

"give me jimmy rivera i'm going to say he wins by decision"

DFS by the Numbers

Daniel Levi Expert Hesitant picked Feb 26, 2021 (1 day before fight)

Jimmie Rivera

Daniel Levi picks Jimmie Rivera, but with hesitation. He notes Rivera is the cleaner striker and historically does well in decisions, while Munhoz has more finishing potential. Levi worries about Rivera's chin but thinks if it goes to the scorecards, Rivera edges it. He acknowledges Munhoz's power and calf kicks but leans Rivera by decision.

"If this goes to the scorecards i got jimmy rivera if this ends inside the distance however that's where i would kind of lean towards pedro... i'll go with jimmy to slightly edge a decision here"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 23, 2021 (4 days before fight)

Jimmie Rivera

Rivera is a Muay Thai specialist with superior footwork and striking technique. Munhoz is a walking punching bag who marches forward, but Rivera's calf kicks and combinations should outclass him. Rivera's takedown defense is strong, and Munhoz's only chance is a knockout, which is unlikely given Rivera's durability. Expect a decision win for Rivera.

Rivera by decision at +120

"i really really like jimmy rivera here again the only real knock on his fight ... is if he knocks out jimmy rivera"

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 21, 2021 (6 days before fight)

Jimmie Rivera

The MMA Guru picks Jimmie Rivera, believing he won the first fight clearly and has improved more than Munhoz since then. He notes Rivera is now in his prime while Munhoz is past his, and expects Rivera to outbox Munhoz over three rounds, winning a unanimous decision 30-27. He mentions Munhoz's only chance is a knockout, but Rivera is aware of that threat.

"i'm definitely going to be picking jimmy rivera to get the job done here i think he's improved more than pedro munoz"

THE MMA GURU

View all 22 fights

Chris Gutierrez - Fight History

LOSS vs Farid Basharat

Decision R3 5:00 · UFC 320 · Oct 04, 2025

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Chris Gutierrez	0	31 of 86	36%	61 of 119	1 of 1	100%	0	1	0:42
Farid Basharat	0	41 of 110	37%	56 of 126	2 of 2	100%	0	0	3:27

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Chris Gutierrez	3 of 7	42%	27 of 32	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
1	Farid Basharat	9 of 24	37%	23 of 39	1 of 1	100%	0	2:39
2	Chris Gutierrez	9 of 33	27%	11 of 35	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
2	Farid Basharat	20 of 48	41%	21 of 49	0 of 0	---	0	0:13
3	Chris Gutierrez	19 of 46	41%	23 of 52	1 of 1	100%	1	0:42
3	Farid Basharat	12 of 38	31%	12 of 38	1 of 1	100%	0	0:35

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Chris Gutierrez	31 of 86	36%	18 of 63	0 of 3	13 of 20	30 of 85	0 of 0	1 of 1
Farid Basharat	41 of 110	37%	19 of 75	5 of 11	17 of 24	39 of 104	0 of 0	2 of 6

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Chris Gutierrez	3 of 7	42%	1 of 2	0 of 1	2 of 4	3 of 7	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Farid Basharat	9 of 24	37%	2 of 9	0 of 3	7 of 12	7 of 20	0 of 0	2 of 4
2	Chris Gutierrez	9 of 33	27%	2 of 20	0 of 2	7 of 11	9 of 33	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Farid Basharat	20 of 48	41%	11 of 36	3 of 4	6 of 8	20 of 48	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Chris Gutierrez	19 of 46	41%	15 of 41	0 of 0	4 of 5	18 of 45	0 of 0	1 of 1
3	Farid Basharat	12 of 38	31%	6 of 30	2 of 4	4 of 4	12 of 36	0 of 0	0 of 2

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Farid Basharat vs. Chris Gutierrez
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Basharat (-440), Gutierrez (+340)

Round 1
Two bantamweights on the way up will meet in a bout shifted down to the early prelims for some reason, even though the victor may have a number next to their name on Monday. Gutierrez (22-6-2, 10-3-1 UFC) will likely be fighting behind his many kicks, while “Ferocious” Basharat (13-0, 4-0 UFC) has yet to taste defeat in the cage. Referee Herb Dean will take care of business, and the fighters gladly bump fists before engaging.
What results early on is a whole lot of shadowboxing, feinting and faking to find their respective range. The first strike committed to is a spinning back kick from Basharat about 90 seconds in, and Gutierrez pays it no mind and keeps raising his leg up to serve as a shield. Basharat kicks his way into a takedown shot, and his double-leg entry succeeds in bringing Gutierrez to the floor.
Basharat gets busier than the few athletes from earlier tonight that have taken the fight down, but it does not take long for Gutierrez to shut him down from much more. Basharat postures up and drives down a right hand, and it is one-and-done as he gets swallowed up in the guard. Gutierrez maintains a high guard, it seemingly active enough to stave off much offense. Basharat scores another ground strike or two, but he is much more interested getting to half guard. The upkicks from Gutierrez allow him to push Basharat off of him, only for the man born in Afghanistan to climb back on top and ride out the slow round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Basharat

Round 2
Basharat runs out of his corner but stops right in the center of the cage, not willing to go much further ahead. This allows Gutierrez to lobby kicks at him, although Basharat’s punches that he sits down on are much more effective. Gutierrez fakes spins to draw Basharat off-guard, and he punches through the raised hands to scores a straight left. Gutierrez chips at the lead leg from his preferred range of distance kickboxing, and Basharat meets him with one or two back before swinging with a big left and a high kick on the other side to get the American’s attention. Gutierrez blocks a wide overhand right and kicks the lead wheel again, with Basharat offering back a hefty body kick.
Basharat splits the guard with a huge one-two that staggers Gutierrez, and he backs off to celebrate his success. Basharat hurls looping strikes, and a front kick surprises the kickfighter. Gutierrez replies with a spin kick to the ribs, and Basharat gathers his thoughts and sits down on a power right hand. Basharat ties them up against the fencing, and Gutierrez separates without much issue. Gutierrez fakes to spin a few times, and Basharat leaps at him with a jump knee that does not find the mark. A Rolling Thunder kick from Basharat punctuates the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Basharat
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Basharat

Round 3
The bantamweights meet in the middle, and Basharat strikes first with a calf kick. Gutierrez hammers him back with a low kick and a combo of punches, and he gets Basharat’s attention. The pressure from the American has surprised Basharat, who is on his heels and on the verge of being taken down. Gutierrez wrenches his man down to the floor, and holds him down from behind without tossing much. Basharat powers back to his feet and throws everything he has into a monster left and right, and Gutierrez dances out of the way without absorbing anything. Basharat pitches a left hand around the guard, and he just misses a spin kick. Basharat’s one-two skims off his intended target, and his spin without a kick just makes him twirl around aimlessly. Gutierrez scoops in a heavy left hook, but it is a single strike and what follows are feints.
Basharat drops to his knees and commits to a picture-perfect explosive double, scooping Gutierrez up and slamming him down to his back. Gutierrez gives his back up standing, and he shimmies Basharat off of him to put the Brit on his back now. Basharat scrambles to his knees and dives for a single-leg takedown, and Gutierrez lets him up and pushes off to fake spin weakly with a back fist. Basharat tries to keep him at bay with a push kick, and he takes a left hand and fires off a body kick that glances the cup. Gutierrez adjusts his athletic supporter and just manages to block a spinning wheel kick, and he crashes the pocket for two punches. Gutierrez reaches his foe with a spinning back fist, and his front kick after it appears much more effective. They both swing for big hooks and crash into one another, and a Gutierrez spin goes wide. Gutierrez knocks Basharat off his feet with a shovel right hand as seconds remain on the clock, and time expires before he can do anything with his opponent on his back.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez (29-28 Basharat)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez (29-28 Basharat)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez (29-28 Basharat)

The Official Result
Farid Basharat def. Chris Gutierrez via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Sep 28, 2025 (6 days before fight)

Farid Basharat

Angelo sees Farid Basharat as the better fighter everywhere, with underrated striking and very good wrestling. He notes Chris Gutierrez has wrestling holes, having been taken down seven times in his last four fights. He thinks Farid's takedown defense and movement will be key, and that Gutierrez's leg kicks might not be enough to slow him down. He considers the 4-to-1 odds appropriate.

"Fared is an underrated striker, a very good wrestler. I think he can beat Chris Gutierrez everywhere. I think he likely wins this fight."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 2, 2025 (2 days before fight)

Farid Basharat

Big Brady is very confident in Farid Basharat, calling him a massive favorite at -450. He criticizes Chris Gutierrez as a boring fighter who relies on leg kicks and has poor takedown defense and get-up game. He notes that Gutierrez has been taken down by lesser wrestlers, and Basharat has a massive advantage in wrestling and grappling. He predicts Basharat wins by decision.

"Give me Farid Bosat. I think he wins this fight by decision."

DFS by the Numbers

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 3, 2025 (1 day before fight)

Farid Basharat

Connor agrees with Zane, picking Basharat because Gutierrez has shown he cannot handle persistent pressure, as in the Pedro Munhoz fight. He notes that Basharat's real skill is taking openings given to him, using strikes to set up takedowns, and that Gutierrez's frustration will mount. However, he cautions that Basharat has never applied the relentless pressure of Munhoz and may need to adjust to Gutierrez's frustrating style.

Basharat opened at -600, currently -450; Gutierrez opened at +450, currently +350. Connor comments: 'Basra, way too big a favorite here. This is a much more difficult test than most he's faced to this point.'

"I think Basra is going to go out there and pressure and wrestle him... I think Basra is that's exactly what he wants to do."

MMA Vivisection

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 4, 2025 (fight day)

Farid Basharat

Basharat's grinding game is expected to be effective against Gutierrez, who is a fish off his back. The host expects Basharat to be competitive in striking and mix in wrestling for a decision victory.

"I believe this is a perfect stylistic matchup for Basharat to go out there and get to his grinding game as most opponents have struggled to deal with it. Specifically, Gutierrez, who is a fish off his back."

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 1, 2025 (3 days before fight)

Farid Basharat

The MMA Guru picks Farid Basharat, citing his offensive grappling and mixing of strikes. He notes Chris Gutierrez's vulnerability to takedowns and lack of finishing ability. He predicts a 29-28 decision.

"I'm going to go with Farid Basharat getting this one done by 29-28 decision."

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 3, 2025 (1 day before fight)

Farid Basharat

Zane picks Basharat because he believes Basharat's pressure and wrestling will break Gutierrez, who has a history of emotional breakdowns when fights get difficult, as seen against Pedro Munhoz. He notes that Basharat's game allows for connective pressure, and even if Gutierrez frustrates him early, Basharat's versatility will eventually overwhelm Gutierrez's neutralization game.

Basharat opened at -600, currently -450; Gutierrez opened at +450, currently +350. Zane comments: 'Basra, way too big a favorite here. This is a much more difficult test than most he's faced to this point.'

"I think Basra is going to go out there and pressure and wrestle him... I think Basra is that's exactly what he wants to do."

MMA Vivisection

WIN vs John Castañeda

Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Machado Garry vs. Prates · Apr 26, 2025

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Chris Gutierrez	1	46 of 85	54%	65 of 112	0 of 2	0%	0	0	0:39
John Castañeda	0	41 of 77	53%	76 of 118	1 of 1	100%	0	0	4:50

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Chris Gutierrez	1	9 of 16	56%	19 of 29	0 of 0	---	0:37
1	John Castañeda	0	6 of 17	35%	17 of 29	0 of 0	---	1:58
2	Chris Gutierrez	0	29 of 50	58%	29 of 50	0 of 1	0%	0:00
2	John Castañeda	0	23 of 43	53%	23 of 43	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Chris Gutierrez	0	8 of 19	42%	17 of 33	0 of 1	0%	0:02
3	John Castañeda	0	12 of 17	70%	36 of 46	1 of 1	100%	2:52

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Chris Gutierrez	46 of 85	54%	20 of 50	5 of 9	21 of 26	44 of 81	0 of 1	2 of 3
John Castañeda	41 of 77	53%	16 of 34	8 of 13	17 of 30	36 of 71	5 of 6	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Chris Gutierrez	9 of 16	56%	4 of 9	1 of 1	4 of 6	7 of 13	0 of 0	2 of 3
1	John Castañeda	6 of 17	35%	1 of 3	1 of 3	4 of 11	6 of 17	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	Chris Gutierrez	29 of 50	58%	11 of 25	3 of 7	15 of 18	29 of 50	0 of 0	0 of 0
2	John Castañeda	23 of 43	53%	13 of 26	4 of 6	6 of 11	22 of 41	1 of 2	0 of 0
3	Chris Gutierrez	8 of 19	42%	5 of 16	1 of 1	2 of 2	8 of 18	0 of 1	0 of 0
3	John Castañeda	12 of 17	70%	2 of 5	3 of 4	7 of 8	8 of 13	4 of 4	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

John Castaneda vs. Chris Gutierrez
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gutierrez (-130), Castaneda (+110)

Round 1
Both fighters normally bantamweights, the short-notice nature of this rescheduled tilt shifted it up 10 pounds to featherweight. It was originally scheduled for UFC 313, only to fall through on Fight Night when Castaneda (21-7, 4-3 UFC) suffered a fight-scratching illness. Ready to finally get in there, Gutierrez (21-6-2, 9-3-1 UFC) as his shins sharpened and ready for combat. Joining the two fighters in the cage will be referee Keith Peterson, who reaches the cage after bouncing nonsense from the premises. They clap hands, and Gutierrez comes out throwing kicks from both legs. Castaneda backs off all the way to the fence, moving side to side to not present a stationary target. Castaneda attempts his own low kick, aiming a second on the inside when the first succeeds. Gutierrez rips the inner thigh back with a kick, and Castaneda switches stances briefly. Gutierrez slips a punch and works the front calf, and he parries three of four punches but gets caught with the fourth on the nose. Gutierrez’ kicks keep Castaneda moving, who is constantly trying not to get nailed with a head kick, a spin kick or something else fired his way. Gutierrez steps in, tosses a kick to the ribs and trips. Castaneda’s eyes light up, as he jumps down to claim top position uncontested. Castanada steps into half guard, flattening Gutierrez out while exerting his body weight down. The audience does not love the relative inaction with the wrestling, audibly letting the fighters know of this. Gutierrez gets some space using butterfly hooks to push off the hips, and he grabs one of Castaneda’s ankles while searching for upkicks. Gutierrez decides to just stand up, and Castaneda seemingly lets him back up without issue. Gutierrez thanks him for this with a straight right hand down the pipe, sending “Sexi Mexi” to the ground in a heap. As Castaneda lays on his side defending himself, time expires before Gutierrez can get the finish he was seeking.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez

Round 2
The fighters clap hands to re-engage, and Castaneda swings with everything he has into a reintroductory right hand. Gutierrez needs a moment to recover, and he gathers his thoughts and lets loose with a spinning wheel kick that misses the mark. Gutierrez kicks his foe so hard in the front leg, he puts Castaneda on his seat. Castaneda climbs back up, directly into a crippling low kick that makes him limp almost immediately. Gutierrez sells out for a big punch, and Castaneda meets him with his own at the same time. Castaneda strikes the body and head, circling away before Gutierrez can get to him. Castaneda goes wide with a wheel kick, and when he lands, he reaches out with a long left hand. Castaneda chips at the front leg with a kick, and Gutierrez actually shoves him away rather than striking him. Gutierrez pump-fakes a spin, and he checks a kick and has his guard up to prevent Castaneda from getting off on him. Gutierrez sneaks out a left hand, and he again fakes a spin. Castaneda does not bite and instead loads up on a right hand, and Gutierrez frowns at him. Castaneda gives chase, walking through kicks to his lead leg and a few punches. The two proceed to trade it out from close range, and Gutierrez slams his shin on the inside of his foe’s lead leg to give him brief pause. Gutierrez kicks the outside of the leg, and Castaneda responds in kind. Gutierrez probes out with a jab and a step-in knee, and Castaneda has to shake out the cobwebs but is forced to deal with jabs and leg kicks when doing so. They both land straight punches at the same time, and Gutierrez shoots for a single-leg takedown suddenly. Castaneda grins at him and hammers him with two heavy hooks, and Gutierrez is quick to abandon the shot. Castaneda goes high with two kicks that are blocked, and Gutierrez bloodies his nose up with a right hand at the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez

Round 3
The fighters are so amped up to get going again, Peterson has to tell them to back off before he says go. When he does, they do not hang back, and instead engage with one another in close range. Both men land cleanly on one another, and Gutierrez has to back off and disengage rather than keep letting hands fly. Castaneda’s wheel kick effort bounces harmless off the guard, but when he plants his leg, he is able to score three low kicks in rapid succession. Gutierrez flicks out a few jabs, and Castaneda kicks him once more. Gutierrez punches his way into a clinch, and he abandons the level change when the leverage is not right. Castaneda slings a kick to the body, and Gutierrez comes out swinging and misses the mark. This allows Castaneda to grip hold of his foe and push him against the fencing, all while looking for a trip. Castaneda elects to lift Gutierrez all the way in the air, slamming him down on his back hard. Castaneda smothers his foe on top, moving to side control to not let Gutierrez go anywhere. Gutierrez tries to scramble, and Castaneda responds with a guillotine choke with one arm while using his body weight to press on him. Castaneda lets it go and lands a few punches, and Gutierrez drags him back to the closed guard. As Gutierrez fights off the grappling and pushes off, Castaneda kicks him in the legs a few times when his foe stands. The horn sounds, and the fight is over.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda (29-28 Gutierrez)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda (29-28 Castaneda)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Castaneda (29-28 Gutierrez)

The Official Result
Chris Gutierrez def. John Castaneda via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 20, 2025 (6 days before fight)

John Castañeda

Angelo picks John Castañeda, believing his pressure wrestling will neutralize Chris Gutierrez's leg kicks. He notes that Gutierrez was taken down by Quang Le and that Castañeda's Division 2 wrestling and forward pressure will keep the fight in close range, preventing Gutierrez from planting and kicking. He is waiting for better plus money odds.

Waiting for odds to improve; may bet at +125 or +130

"John Castanada is the pick and a lot of that has to do with just the pressure."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Lean picked Apr 22, 2025 (4 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

Big Brady leans toward Chris Gutierrez, citing his leg kicks and better striking, but expects a close fight typical of Gutierrez. He notes Gutierrez often wins on thin margins and predicts a competitive decision. He expresses low interest in the fight and mentions the line at -140 makes sense.

"Give me Chris Gutierrez by a competitive decision. The line at -140 makes a ton of sense to me."

DFS by the Numbers

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 25, 2025 (1 day before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

The host expects Gutierrez to stop takedowns, use calf kicks to slow Castañeda, and then land hands when Castañeda blitzes recklessly, leading to a decision win.

"Look for Gutierrez to touch him up and give us a classic Gutierrez performance, winning this fight on the scorecards."

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Apr 22, 2025 (4 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

The MMA Guru picks Chris Gutierrez, but with hesitation. He likes Gutierrez's low kicks and movement, and notes Castañeda's lack of urgency and flat-footedness. However, he questions Gutierrez's ability to dominate and expects a very close decision. He mentions the big cage favors Gutierrez's movement.

"I think Gutierrez is going to win a very close decision, a very very close decision over John Castanada."

THE MMA GURU

WIN vs Quang Le

DEC R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Tybura vs. Spivac 2 · Aug 10, 2024

LOSS vs Song Yadong

DEC R5 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Gutierrez · Dec 09, 2023

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Yadong Song vs. Chris Gutierrez
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Song (-380), Gutierrez (+300)

Round 1
All hands are on deck for what should be action-packed headliner at 135 pounds. The winner should position himself closer to the top of the landscape at bantamweight, although a logjam of title suitors still sits in front of them. Whether they need one more win or five to get to the top of the mountain, Song (20-7-1, 1 NC; 9-2-1 UFC) and Gutierrez (20-5-2, 8-2-1 UFC) are ready to take that next step by going through the other. Striking totals and the power behind them will likely be high, so referee Herb Dean is on high alert for the next 25 minutes or less. When they are brought together, they touch gloves to signal there is no ill will for one another. Gutierrez paws out low kicks more as range-finders than as actual scoring strikes, and Song lunges at him and nods when a fist glances off the side of Gutierrez’ head. Gutierrez suddenly spins with a kick, and Song is well out of harm’s way. Gutierrez flicks a head kick at his foe, and Song is able to block it without concern and sweep the leg in response. Gutierrez prods out with low kicks on both sides of the leg of his opponent, and Song prepares a counter but does not release it when seeing Gutierrez is not committing to the strikes. Gutierrez dips out of the way of a spinning back fist that whizzes past him, and they trade low kicks. Gutierrez uses his kicks as distance-keeping weapons, not putting much into some of them and simply tossing them out to keep Song from closing in recklessly. Song peppers Gutierrez with leg kicks, and Gutierrez lands a few stomp kicks on the knee back. Gutierrez fakes a spin, and then sells out and spins with a fist that rebounds off the gloves. Song slams his shin on the lead leg of “El Guapo,” and he leaps forward with two hooks. The leg kicks prompt a stance switch, and when Gutierrez scores a left hand, Song smiles at him and shrugs. Song then lunges ahead, missing with a punch, but they both drive leg kicks home. Gutierrez kicks the body, and Song waves him on, asking for more. “Kung Fu Kid” races ahead, but he misses with strikes as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Song
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 2
When the second round begins, the two kick and kick and kick. They trade kicks to the lead leg, Song goes high, and Gutierrez emulates him with one of his own. Gutierrez plants the ball of his foot on Song’s face, and Song grins and laughs it off. Song lashes out, and when he misses, Gutierrez spins with a back fist and partially catches him with it. Gutierrez looks for a second front kick, and Song picks up on it but only partially. Gutierrez chips away with low kicks, and he checks one that comes back at him. Song reaches him with three punches, getting off at the end of one, and Gutierrez bounces away and picks and pokes with low kicks. Song looks to split the guard with a right hand, and Gutierrez kicks his leg out and sends him careening off-balance when Song spins. Gutierrez kicks the lead leg and backs away from a counter, and he pokes out with a front kick. Song tries to crowd him, and Gutierrez parries and evades the blows. Song connects with a few low kicks, and Gutierrez pushes off his face and pokes Song in both eyes. Dean calls time and tells Gutierrez to stop leading with his fingers, and he allows Song to recover. Song tries to hurry back, and Dean gives him more time, but Song wants to fight so they resume after about 45 seconds off. Gutierrez starts up again with his front leg raised, and he chambers and fires it at his foe. Gutierrez circles away from the oncoming offense, avoiding any of the power punches and getting off his own strikes. Song rushes forward, practically tackling Gutierrez to the ground. Gutierrez sets up butterfly hooks to try to sweep his foe from China, and he kicks off Song’s hips but cannot lift him off. Song slowly works with occasional strikes, and Gutierrez looks to throw his legs up with a high guard or something more. Song keeps Gutierrez pressed against the fence, until Dean calls time and issues a hard warning to Gutierrez for grabbing Song’s gloves. Dean resets them in position, and Song rides out the round on top landing right hands.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gutierrez
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 3
The two bantamweights touch ‘em up before opening the third round, and kicks are the first item on the menu. Song fires off a high kick, and he shoots in for a takedown. Gutierrez defends it, but he gets popped on the way out with a right hook. Gutierrez lands a front kick, and Song outstretches his hand and a finger jams deep into Gutierrez’ eye socket. Dean pauses the fight and allows Gutierrez to recover. Gutierrez takes 90 seconds and a hand wipe before he is good to go, and they resume. Gutierrez pushes out several front kicks with both legs, interrupting Song’s movement and combinations. Song reaches him with a left hand, and ducks back as Gutierrez spins with a wheel kick. The leg kicks land one after the other for both men, and Gutierrez raises his guard at the right moment to block a left hook that blazes at him. Song sticks out a jab, and Gutierrez answers him with a right hook. Gutierrez kicks the knee and fakes with spins, and the two crash together without landing of note. Gutierrez snaps up a question mark kick that Song mostly defends, and Song tries to make him pay but Gutierrez is well out of the way. Song delivers a stern leg kick that lands with an audible thud, and he tosses up his other leg to Gutierrez’ face—Gutierrez protects himself from it. Gutierrez drops low to change levels, drawing a huge reaction out of Song. Gutierrez fakes another takedown to again make Song think about defending, and he goes up high with a right hand. Gutierrez jabs the lead leg with his own leg, and he gets cornered by the Chinese fighter and skirts away after eating a three-punch serving. Song reaches Gutierrez with a left, and he clubs him with a right before Gutierrez escapes. Song takes a knee up the middle while throwing hands, and he takes a straight right hand after landing a few strikes. Gutierrez slides to the side to let a spinning wheel kick land on his shoulder, and he throws a high kick in response. Song catches it and dumps him to the mat with seconds to go, and Song does not do anything with it as the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Song
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 4
The bantamweights reach the championship rounds, and feet are in play before fists. Gutierrez blocks a head kick and takes two low kicks, and he connects with a clean front kick up the middle. Song tries to chase him down and corner him, but it ends with him falling over. Gutierrez spins with a back fist, and when that misses, Song belts him with a huge right hand that shocks him and sends him crashing down to the floor. Song jumps on top, but Gutierrez closes his guard and stifles any further offense from getting through. Gutierrez recovers, as Song resides on top of him without worry. Gutierrez slaps Song on the side of the head as he stays stuck on his back, and Song occasionally gets in a few strikes to keep Dean from standing them up. Song stacks Gutierrez up any time Gutierrez tries to do some finagling of his guard, and Gutierrez claims several strikes land to the back of his head. The strikes from Song, methodical and effective, open up a cut on Gutierrez’ left eyebrow. Song grinds the remainder of the round out, and Gutierrez is extremely frustrated.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Song
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 5
Reaching the last rounds, the two men come together but do not engage quite as quickly as they did before. Gutierrez keeps his range, until out of nowhere he attempts an Imanari roll for a leglock. This is a poor decision, as Song completely bowls him over and gets right back to the position where he ended the last frame. Song has no qualms about smacking Gutierrez around with short punches and a few elbows, all while precious time ticks off the clock for the underdog Gutierrez. Song postures up every so often to hammer down an elbow, and Gutierrez scoots himself back to the wall to try to lean off of it and get up. Song drags him back down and drives home a number of elbows, until Gutierrez desperately turns and pushes his legs off the fencing. Dean warns him for hooking his toes in the fence, and Song celebrates this moment of confusing by punching Gutierrez in the face. With 30 seconds left in the fight, Song opens up with a stream of left hands and hammerfists as he holds Gutierrez in an awkward position. Gutierrez looks for a low-percentage leglock that allows him to get bludgeoned a few more times, and the long five-round engagement comes to a close. There is just one more UFC event in 2023, and it may be one to remember with two title fights and plenty of action fights booked. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Song (49-46 Song)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song (50-45 Song)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Song (50-45 Song)

The Official Result
Yadong Song def. Chris Gutierrez via Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-45, 50-45)

WIN vs Alateng Heili

DEC R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs. Barboza · Oct 14, 2023

LOSS vs Pedro Munhoz

DEC R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen · Apr 15, 2023

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

"I think Gutierrez is way too consistent and again not picky about the targets that he accepts at that range."

MMA Vivisection

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

Gutierrez opened -230, now -195; Munhoz opened +200, now +173. Zane does not mention betting.

"I kind of just think Gutierrez is going to be too much for him to handle."

MMA Vivisection

WIN vs Frankie Edgar

KO/TKO R1 2:01 · UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · Nov 12, 2022

WIN vs Danaa Batgerel

KO/TKO R2 2:34 · UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Daukaus · Mar 26, 2022

View all 15 fights

Expert Picks (2)

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

"I think Gutierrez is way too consistent and again not picky about the targets that he accepts at that range."

MMA Vivisection

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Chris Gutierrez

Gutierrez opened -230, now -195; Munhoz opened +200, now +173. Zane does not mention betting.

"I kind of just think Gutierrez is going to be too much for him to handle."

MMA Vivisection

Pedro Munhoz

Chris Gutierrez

Career Averages - Pedro Munhoz

Career Averages - Chris Gutierrez

Pedro Munhoz

Chris Gutierrez

Pedro Munhoz - Fight History

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Chris Gutierrez - Fight History

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Expert Picks (2)