Athletes
Fighters on the Rise | UFC Fight Night: Song vs Gutierrez
Three Can't-Miss Rising Stars To Look Out For At Saturday's Las Vegas Event
If you’ve been reading this series for any length of time, first and foremost, thank you; I appreciate it, but secondly, you know that cards like this are my absolutely favorite.
Stationed between last weekend’s banger on ESPN and next weekend’s year-end pay-per-view, Saturday’s fight card is a compact collection of matchups featuring a host of emerging talents looking to use this opportunity to catapult themselves to new heights heading into next year.
Each of this weekend’s headliners, Song Yadong and Chris Gutierrez, have reached their current position as ranked bantamweights and main event competitors by excelling on events just like this in the past, and now the pack of fighters set to make the walk ahead of the final duo aim to do the same.
Pulling from three different divisions, here’s a closer look at a trio of competitors to keep close tabs on this weekend and beyond in the penultimate edition of Fighters on the Rise for 2023.
Khalil Rountree Jr.
The former Ultimate Fighter finalist has been on a roll as of late, entering this weekend’s co-main event pairing with Anthony Smith on a four-fight winning streak.
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Several years into his tenure with the UFC, Rountree Jr. appears to be putting things together, having registered three finishes during his current winning streak and fighting with a different level of poise and confidence each time he steps into the Octagon. Brandishing hellacious power and tapping into a ferocity that can only be described as feral when it comes time to chase down a finish, the 33-year-old looks to continue propelling himself higher in the light heavyweight ranks with a win over the former title challenger Smith on Saturday.
Rountree Jr. being in this position feels both expected and unexpected at the same time.
A highly regarded prospect as he rose through the amateur ranks and transitioned into life as a pro, many anticipated the Las Vegas native becoming a contender at some point in his career. Those beliefs were only strengthened when he rampaged to the finals on Season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, but after losing to Andrew Sanchez in the finale and going 4-4 with one no contest verdict afterwards, many jumped off the Rountree Jr. bandwagon.
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That inconsistency appears to be behind him now, as his wins over Modestas Bukauskas, Karl Roberson, Dustin Jacoby, and Chris Daukaus have shown how dangerous he is when fighting at his best. Against Daukaus in August, a clean left hand down the center line felled the former heavyweight, once again highlighting the power Rountree Jr. carries, and if he can find a similar shot against Smith, he’ll catapult himself into the Top 10 heading into 2024.
Besting Smith is no easy task — “Lionheart” is one of the most experienced fighters on the roster, regardless of division, and has been in residence in the upper tier of talent in the light heavyweight ranks for the last five years. He scored a hard-fought decision win over Ryan Spann last time out, digging deep in a grueling, competitive battle, and will be looking to show he’s still capable of making another run at the title.
After initially being paired with Azamat Murzakanov as part of last weekend’s main card in Austin, Saturday represents the type of step up in competition and step into the spotlight Rountree Jr. was asking for following his last victory.
Now it’s time to see if he’s truly ready for his moment.
Junyong Park
Over the last two years, Park has been making a slow and steady climb up the middleweight rankings, arriving at Saturday’s clash with Andre Muniz on a four-fight winning streak where each of the last three have ended by submission.
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The 32-year-old “Iron Turtle” dropped his promotional debut to Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez in the summer of 2019, but has amassed a 7-1 record since, with his only setback coming two years ago in a back-and-forth slobberknocker against Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues that garnered the two men Fight of the Night honors. Following that contest, Park worked his way through a competitive clash with Eryk Anders before posting consecutive rear naked choke victories over Joseph Holmes, Denis Tiuliulin, and Albert Duraev to extend his record to 17-5 heading into the weekend.
Park is — and I say this with nothing but the utmost respect and genuine praise — a “meat and potatoes” fighter, working off sound fundamentals both on the feet and in the grappling arts; someone that sticks to what works and doesn’t stray too far away from the basics. As his nickname implies, he’s also extremely durable, sporting an iron chin and willingness to stand in the fire even when things get intensely hot.
After proving himself against the veteran and mid-pack set in the division, the ascending South Korean finally gets an opportunity to test himself against a more accomplished member of the 185-pound ranks in the form of Muniz. While he enters on a two-fight slide, the 33-year-old Brazilian had earned five straight victories prior to his 2023 losses to recent headlining combatants Brendan Allen and Paul Craig, including a trio of armbar submissions over Bartosz Fabinski, “Jacare” Souza, and Eryk Anders.
Middleweight has undergone major changes in the last year and change, with three different men spending time atop the division, some of the established set taking a step back, and a host of promising up-and-comers making a push higher in the pecking order heading into 2024. Though he’s currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the Top 15, a fifth straight victory — and perhaps a fourth straight finish — could potentially vault him into the rankings.
Luana Santos
This year has produced a plethora of standout performances from promotional newcomers, and Santos’ rookie effort inside the Octagon in August is definitely part of that collection of quality efforts.
Entering on a two-fight winning streak and a first-round submission win, the 23-year-old took the fight to Juliana Miller from the jump, closing the distance and pressuring the recent Ultimate Fighter winner. Early on, it was clear the shots Santos was landing were having a significant impact, and the Brazilian responded by upping the pace and her output, putting away Miller along the fence before the four-minute mark of the opening round.
Now 6-1 overall, Santos returns for her sophomore outing this weekend, stepping in with Swiss veteran Stephanie Egger in another early career test.
The 35-year-old has split her time across two divisions and collected mixed results through her first six Octagon appearances, posting a 3-3 mark with submission wins over Shanna Young Jessica-Rose Clark, and Ailin Perez. Last time out, Egger was in a similar position, stepping in with new arrival Irina Alekseeva in April, landing on the wrong side of a first-round submission loss.
Santos, who trains under former UFC fighter Lucas “Minheiro” Martins and has mixed in time at Team Alpha Male for this camp, shows a ton of promise at this early stage of her career, and is definitely one to keep an eye on going forward. If she continues to develop and progress along this track, Santos could find herself stationed in the Top 15 in the next couple of years.
UFC Fight Night: Song vs Gutierrez took place live from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on December 9, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
