Guram Kutateladze prepared for everything – especially a finish at UFC Austin

AUSTIN, Texas – It’s been 20 months since Guram Kutateladze picked up a win in his UFC debut, even if it wasn’t the kind he was hoping for.

Kutateladze took a split decision from Mateusz Gamrot in October 2020, but his follow-up bout in 2021 was scrapped twice with injuries. Saturday, Kutateladze (12-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) finally returns when he takes on Damir Ismagulov (23-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 37 in Austin, Texas.

And this time, Kutateladze hopes to show a more true representation of what he can do.

“I hope I can show myself,” Kutateladze told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s media day. “I believe I can show myself during this fight Saturday and I can show my skills and what I really can do – show myself properly that I believe I couldn’t show with Gamrot. We just have to take it, learn from it and move forward – just like a ladder: steps. (I’m) just trying to improve, develop, and that’s it. … It doesn’t matter whatever it was (against Gamrot). I believe I’m a different person, a different fighter now than two years ago, almost.

“I’m always going for the finish. It doesn’t matter which way it is – knockout, submission, whatever. I’m prepared for everything that’s going to be in my way.”

Although Kutateladze brings a nine-fight winning streak into the bout and hasn’t lost in more than seven years, he’s a slight underdog to Ismagulov at Tipico Sportsbook.

That may not be a surprise since Ismagulov has a lengthy winning streak of his own at 17 fights. But Kutateladze said his opponent is in the way of what he needs to handle.

“I believe in myself 100 percent, and I don’t have any doubts,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for my opponent, but I must do what I’ve got to do. He’s on my way to my dreams, to my goals. Everything else is in God’s will.”

Check out Kutateladze’s full interview in the video above.

UFC on ESPN 37 takes place Saturday at Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.