Chris Gutierrez eyes Sean O’Malley, Frankie Edgar, or Dominick Cruz next after KO win at UFC Columbus

Chris Gutierrez believes it’s time people start putting respect on his name.

Gutierrez entered his UFC Columbus fight against Danaa Batgerel and knew his opponent had a ton of power. He saw Batgerel had a ton of first-round knockouts but it wasn’t until they shared the Octagon that he realized how powerful he was.

“His power was crazy, Jesus, he hit hard,” Gutierrez said to BJPENN.com. “Even when they were landing on my arms and I was blocking him I knew he had some serious power. With that, I knew I couldn’t get reckless and had to be smart, especially in that opening round.”

With him realizing Batgerel had legit one-punch KO power, Gutierrez was cautious but once it hit the second round he knew the tide was turning in his favor. Not only did the Factory X product think he was going to win, but he thought he would get the KO.

Throughout the fight, he realized the spinning backfist was there which is something he throws a ton in the gym. In the second round, Chris Gutierrez timed it perfectly and dropped Danaa Batgerel and then finished him with ground strikes to get the highlight-reel stoppage win.

Image Credit: UFC

“The plan was just to get to him before he got me. I always throw spinning stuff in the gym and I threw it in the first round and misjudged it but I saw the opening was there and knew the distance,” Gutierrez said. “Then, in the second, I landed it a lot better and dropped him and finished it off. It felt like I was dreaming, to be honest. That win is massive and getting the bonus will change my life.”

With Gutierrez getting the win, he improved to 6-1-1 in the UFC and is on a seven-fight unbeaten streak. With that, he believes it is time for him to start getting the respect he deserves and wants a ranked guy in either Sean O’Malley, Frankie Edgar, or even Dominick Cruz next time out.

“I like to fly under the radar, I’ve been unknown to many even though I’ve been in the UFC for a while and been on a streak. A lot of people are shocked but they really shouldn’t be,” Gutierrez said. “This win, hopefully, is the one that gets me known so hopefully, I get Sean O’Malley or Frankie Edgar next, I want a name. Heck, even Dominick Cruz is a guy I want to fight, I know he’s way ahead of me so maybe that one doesn’t happen but any of those three. But, at the end of the day, it’s whoever they give me.”

The plan for Gutierrez is to fight again in the summer, hopefully against either of the three. But, Gutierrez hopes he ends the year in the rankings and starts to finally get the push he wants.

Who would you like to see Chris Gutierrez fight next?