LAS VEGAS – Quang Le was preparing to deliver the performance of his life and earn a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Then he got the news he could skip that step. In need of a replacement opponent to face Chris Gutierrez (20-6-2 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 61 at the UFC Apex (ESPN, ESPN+ ), the UFC matchmakers called Le (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and presented him the opportunity to move straight into the promotion in a bantamweight bout. The undefeated Vietnamese athlete didn’t hesitate to accept. “I couldn’t believe when they called right away,” Le told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day.