UFC middleweight prospect Ateba Gautier is again a massive favorite coming into his fight this Saturday against Ozzy Diaz at UFC 328.
The fighter from Yaoundé, Cameroon, has been one of the most intriguing fighters since he arrived in the UFC. Gautier, who currently rides a nine-fight winning streak, looks to improve his record to 11-1 in Newark. It will be the fifth fight for the Cameronian in just over a year in the UFC. The event is headlined by a middleweight title fight between champion Khamzat Chimaev and former champion Sean Strickland.
Ateba Gautier Exceptional Knockout Power
Many fans see Gautier as one of the most exciting fighters currently on the UFC middleweight roster. In his first four fights in the UFC, he got three knockout wins in the first round. Only in his most recent fight earlier this year, in January, he didn’t get the finish against Andrey Pulyaev. The Russian fighter was in big trouble early in the first round, but weathered the storm and was able to make it to the final bell. This was the first time since 2022, Gautier’s only professional loss, that he went the distance.
Gautier’s not finishing the fight led to criticism from many fans. Definitely because the Cameronian gassed in the later rounds, although he still was able to get his fourth win in the UFC. Gautier has been a big favorite in all of his fights inside the Octagon, and against Ozzy Diaz this weekend, he is once again a favorite to win. The UFC gave the knockout specialist again the so-called featured prelim spot. That spot is reserved for either fights they have high expectations of or for fighters they expect to have a viral finish.
Gautier, with eight finishes in 10 professional MMA fights, fits that narrative perfectly. The main question is whether Diaz is just like Pulyaev, able to weather the early storm. If that is the case, it might be another tough night at the office for early finisher Gautier. Also, the UFC will look closely at that part of the fight. Despite hopes from fans in the UFC giving Gautier a bigger step up in competition, the organization seems to be hesitant in doing so. A big finish against Diaz for Gautier will most likely change their mind.
Against All Odds
The 35-year-old Ozzy Diaz is 11 years older than his opponent, Gautier. The middleweight out of Los Angeles, California, has been fighting in the UFC since 2024. Diaz tried to get into the UFC in 2022 through Dana White’s Contender Series. Diaz lost in the second round against Joe Pyfer and didn’t earn a contract with the UFC that night. After a couple of wins in the regional scene, he got the call-up from the UFC in 2024.
His debut against Zhang Mingyang was anything but successful. The American lost early in the fight via knockout. Diaz was able to get his first UFC win in his sophomore performance. In an entertaining fight, he beat Djorden Santos via unanimous decision after three rounds. Six months after that win, Diaz was supposed to fight Ateba Gautier. Unfortunately, Diaz got injured during training and had to withdraw from the bout.
The UFC never lost interest in the fight and booked it again for UFC 328 this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Can Diaz shock the world and beat Gautier? Or will Gautier’s finishing ways be too much for Diaz? We will know when the Octagon door closes on Saturday.
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