Athletes
What To Know About Ateba Gautier
Powerful Middleweight Prospect Makes His Return Saturday, May 9, At UFC 328
Since earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2024, Ateba Gautier has lived on the shortlist of most intriguing young fighters on the roster. Sometimes, the “prospect” tag gets applied to athletes a couple of years older than you’d want, but at 24 years old, Gautier is a blue-chip prospect through and through.
He opened his UFC account with three consecutive first-round knockouts over José Medina, Robert Valentin and Tre’ston Vines. That run put him into a showcase matchup against Andrey Pulyaev, where Gautier scored knockdowns but not a finish, instead showing he had enough in the tank for 15 minutes.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
At UFC 328, his second bout of the year comes against Ozzy Diaz, an experienced fighter who could test Gautier in the pocket. That also means Gautier should have the chance to get back to his finishing ways (each of Diaz’s three professional losses came via knockout) and cultivate even more hype than ever.
Before Gautier makes his fifth walk to the Octagon, get to know the middleweight more:
Cameroon-born, Manchester-made
Born in Yaounde, Gautier started training when he was 17 years old before moving to Manchester three years ago. Under the watchful eyes of Manchester Top Team and head coach Carl Prince, Gautier continues to make the large strides becoming of a young fighter. Among the higher-level training partners on the mat is top-flight featherweight Lerone Murphy (whom Gautier names as his favorite fighter and a “big brother” figure). Gautier has attributed his work with MTT as a big reason for his steady development while competing at the highest level.
Ateba Gautier Fight Week Interview | UFC 328
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Ateba Gautier Fight Week Interview | UFC 328
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Once A Silent Assassin; Now “The Storm”
Gautier joined the UFC with the moniker “The Silent Assassin,” a nickname his coach gave him because of his quiet demeanor. However, Gautier decided to change his nickname to “The Storm,” a name he feels is more fitting to his style, to which his seven first-round knockouts attest.
RELATED: Gautier Learning More & More
A Real Powerhouse
In four UFC fights, Gautier tallied five knockdowns — one in each of his three stoppage wins and two against Pulayev. That number is good for 9th among active middleweights, tied with power-punchers like Joe Pyfer, Punahele Soriano, and Paulo Costa. Should he score a sixth knockdown, he’ll move into a 4-way tie for sixth on the list with Joaquin Buckley, Roman Kopylov, and Jared Cannonier.
Ateba Gautier Knocks Out Jose Daniel Medina In The First Round | UFC Mexico
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Ateba Gautier Knocks Out Jose Daniel Medina In The First Round | UFC Mexico
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Don’t Blink
Despite going 15 minutes in his most recent fight, Gautier’s average fight time is a touch over six minutes. The UFC Record Book doesn’t list a fighter until they’ve reached five bouts with the promotion, but his 6:05 mark would rank third among active middleweights behind leader Ikram Aliskerov (5:12 per fight) and Michal Oleksiejczuk (5:34).
In essence, make sure you’re locked in from the opening bell if Gautier is fighting.
UFC 328: Chimaev vs Strickland took place live from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 9, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!