Justin Wetzell Wrestled Past Gutierrez’s Submission Traps
Justin Wetzell defeated Mando Gutierrez by unanimous decision at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita on June 20, 2025. Every judge scored the bantamweight semifinal 30–27, sending Wetzell into the PFL World Tournament final against Marcirley Alves.
An early guillotine failed to halt Wetzell
Gutierrez pressed into the clinch and attempted a takedown before threatening a guillotine during the ensuing exchange. Wetzell escaped and settled into top position inside Gutierrez’s guard.
Gutierrez remained active from underneath, using a tight guard to restrict movement. Wetzell answered with punches and elbows, ending the opening round with further ground offense.
Repeated takedowns kept the contest grounded
Wetzell drove through another takedown in the second and moved into side control. Gutierrez again attacked the neck, but Wetzell escaped and continued trying to pass the guard.
After a referee’s stand-up, Wetzell brought him down once more. The recurring pattern forced Gutierrez to search for submissions from defensive positions while Wetzell maintained pressure.
Late scrambles preserved the advantage
The final round included more clinch work, top strikes and front-headlock attacks. Both fighters threatened chokes, but neither secured a submission before Wetzell finished on top.
Wetzell had reached the semifinal by defeating Kasum Kasumov in April. Gutierrez entered after a first-round victory over Francesco Nuzzi. Their Wichita meeting rewarded Wetzell’s combination of submission defense, repeated mat returns and sustained offense over the full three rounds.
Sources
- PFL: June 20 Wichita venue, confirmed results and finalists
- PFL: guillotine escapes, top offense, final-round scrambles and April results
