Aside from the blockbuster main event between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, a few names stand out strong in the thirteen fights that stud the New Jersey lineup. The one that would appeal most to hardcore fans is Ateba Gautier.
At 24, standing at 6’4″ with a ripped physique in the middleweight division, Cameroon’s Gautier passes the eye test. He passes the entertainment test, too, scoring knockdowns in all four of his UFC fights thus far, five if you count his one-round demolition job in Dana White’s Contender Series.
He’s a name on the rise, and until his three-round decision win over Andrey Pulyaev last January, it was easy to say he’d steamroll his way to the top. This fight reminded Gautier’s contemporaries that he had his weaknesses – but he could go strong for three hard-fought rounds.
“[…] Andrey Pulyaev, [I really appreciate] that fight,” Gautier told Fighters Weekly. “I have more experience now.”
‘I have no plan:’ Humble Gautier isn’t fixated on big UFC bonuses
And yet, despite an impressive style, Gautier is yet to win a big $100,000 bonus in 2026, something that would surely mean a lot to a grassroots fighter. However, ‘The Storm’ was rather pragmatic about the topic when we queried him ahead of this week’s fight.
“I don’t know [how it would change my life,] but I haven’t got it yet,” Gautier said. “When I’m gonna get it I’ll let you know,” Gautier smirked. “. . . I just want to enjoy each moment… Until that moment, I have no plan—zero.”
Gautier brushes off fan hype
Family man Gautier told us he ‘didn’t even know’ about his UFC hype, instead choosing to prioritise the expectations of his family, friends, and ultimately himself.
“I didn’t even know that [people had expectations.] You just told me,” Gautier said. “. . . Thank you for letting me know.
“I don’t think it’s that important what people expect from me. Like no, what do I expect from myself? That’s the most important. What do the people around me, and the people that love and care for me, what do they expect for myself?
“If I can do something, and make fans happy, we’ll be fine! But the first person who has to be happy is me.”
Gautier fights in the featured prelim of UFC 328 this weekend.
Who’s fighting at UFC 328?
UFC 328 comprises 13 fights, starting at 5pm ET this weekend in Newark, New Jersey.
- (c) Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland; middleweight title
- (c) Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira; flyweight title
- Alexander Volkov vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta; heavyweight
- Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley; welterweight
- King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens; lightweight
- Ateba Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz; middleweight
- Joel Alvarez vs. Yaroslav Amasov; welterweight
- Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rebecki; lightweight
- Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon; lightweight
- Roman Kopylov vs. Marco Tulio; middleweight
- Pat Sabatini vs. William Gomis; featherweight
- Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Djorden Santos; middleweight
- Clayton Carpenter vs. Jose Ochoa; flyweight
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