Gutierrez succumbed to defeat in the decisive bout of UFC Fight Night 233, losing to his opponent in the main event.
In the wee hours of December 10th, UFC Fight Night 233 wrapped up in Sin City, marking the second-to-last event of the year by the renowned fighting organization. This event boasted a sheer 11 bouts.
In the main event, China's own Song "Kung Fu Kid" Yadong, ranked 7th in the bantamweight division, snatched his second back-to-back win, besting Chris "El Guapo" Gutierrez of the US via unanimous decision. The judges' scores (50-44, 50-45 × 2) showcased Yadong's dominant performance, although Gutierrez wasn't an easy nut to crack throughout the bout. Post-fight, Yadong sent out a challenge to former division champion Petr "No Mercy" Yan from Russia, slated to return to the octagon in March at UFC 299.
"I'm aiming for the belt. Next up is Petr Yan. Sign on the dotted line. I know you're raring to fight in March. I'll put you down. You think you've got good boxing? Let's see!"
The co-main event witnessed a clash between Anthony "Lionheart" Smith from the US and Khalil Rountree Jr., both representing the stars and stripes, albeit this was a replacement fight for Azamat Murzakanov following unforeseen circumstances. Smith met his downfall in the third round via TKO, but he dominated the first two rounds. With this victory, Rountree boldly called out the UFC's light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira from Brazil:
"I'm absolutely thrilled with the win, especially when they matched me against a high-profile adversary like Anthony. Right now, I've got my heart set on squaring off against Alex Pereira."
The main card also witnessed early victories snatched by Nasrat Haqparast and Tim Elliott:
- Nasrat Haqparast, hailing from Morocco, bruised and battered James Mullarkey from Australia via first-round TKO in the 155-pound division.
- Tim Elliott, an American grappler, choked out China's "The Tibetan Eagle," Su Mudaerji, via first-round rear-naked choke in the flyweight division.
Other notable mentions from the main card:
- Middleweight: André Muniz from Brazil defeated Yoon Jong Park from South Korea via split-decision.
The prelims featured various captivating battles as well:
- Welterweight: Kevin Jousset from New Zealand defused Song "The Killer" Kinan from China via unanimous decision.
- Flyweight: Yun Sung Park from South Korea finished Shannon Ross from Australia via TKO in round 2.
- Lightweight: Steve Garcia from the US knocked out Melquizael Costa from Brazil in round 2.
- Catchweight (63kg): Luana Santos from Brazil overcame Stephanie Egger from Switzerland via unanimous decision.
- Flyweight: Tatsuro Taira from Japan terminated Carlos Hernandez from the US via TKO in round 2.
- Strawweight: Talita Alencar from Brazil bested compatriot Rayane Amanda dos Santos via split decision.
The evening's Fight of the Night bonuses were awarded to Khalil Rountree, Nasrat Haqparast, Tim Elliott, and Yun Sung Park. However, it is worth noting that Khalil Rountree managed to secure his first victory for UFC Fight Night 233 later, when his postponed bout against Jamahal Hill was rescheduled for June 21, 2025, at UFC Fight Night in Baku, Azerbaijan.
- Yadong, a Chinese UFC fighter, called out former division champion Petr Yan, aiming to challenge him at UFC 299.
- In the co-main event, Khalil Rountree from the US defeated Anthony "Lionheart" Smith, and afterward, called out the UFC's light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
- Nasrat Haqparast, a Moroccan fighter, won against James Mullarkey from Australia in the 155-pound division, while Tim Elliott, an American grappler, choked out China's Su Mudaerji in the flyweight division.
- André Muniz from Brazil won against Yoon Jong Park from South Korea in a close split-decision match, fighting in the middleweight category.
