Chris Gutierrez Ready to ‘Handle’ Ray Rodriguez ‘Like Usual’ in LFA 52 Main Event

Following a three fight year in 2017, bantamweight Chris Gutierrez was looking to stay active again in 2018, but things didn’t work out how he would have liked.

So far this year, Gutierrez has managed to fight only once, as his personal life has taken up most of his focus in 2018.

“I went through a really tough year,” Gutierrez told MMAWeekly.com. “I had some personal problems happen. Like they say, life happens, and it did.

“It was something I kind of had to go through to be where I’m at and be on top again. The amount of time of time that it took for me to go through it, get over it and get back on my feet, it was well-timed. I’m happy to be back where I’m at right now.”

In his sole bout this year, Gutierrez was able to pick up a third round TKO of Jimmy Flick in April at XFN 347.

“(Flick) was a really good opponent,” said Gutierrez. “We knew where he presented danger at, but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen before at the gym or in other fights. I knew what my strengths were and made him fight my fight.”

Following six months off, Gutierrez (11-2-1) will look to pick up his second win of 2018 when he takes on Ray Rodriguez (13-4) in the bantamweight main event of LFA 52 this Friday in Belton, Texas.

This article first appeared at News – MMAWeekly.com