“Mini Ngannou” is ready to make another violent statement.
Fast-rising UFC middleweight prospect Ateba Gautier Resumption of operations against Russia Andrei Pulyayev at the UFC 324 “preliminaries” this weekend (Saturday, January 24, 2026) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Gautier had an incredible rookie year, knocking out all three opponents in the first round: Jose Medina At UFC Mexico City, Robert Valentine at UFC 318, and Treston Vine at UFC 320. Despite his fantastic results, the 23-year-old doesn’t think 2025 will be as impressive as it looks on paper.
“The biggest lesson for me last year was that I wasn’t good enough,” Gautier told UFC.com. “I wasn’t good enough because I made a lot of mistakes in those games. If I made a mistake, that means I wasn’t good enough.”
That self-criticism makes Gautier one of the most intriguing unranked fighters on the roster heading into 2026. Born in Cameroon and blessed with rare physical gifts, Gautier quickly became known for his overwhelming power, relentless pressure and viciousness from the start. He’s also been vocal about his desire to stay active and grow quickly – just like he did last year.
Standing across from him will be his toughest test yet.
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Plyayev has proven his stamina and has distanced himself from other prospects Christian Leroy Duncanand has only been stopped once in his career — a regional elimination game in 2023. Still, Gautier doesn’t see his opponent having any path to victory.
“I’m going to get a bonus this year,” Gautier said. “I’m going to finish him off no matter what. He’s never faced anyone like me. He’s never faced anyone as hungry as me. I’m not hungry – I’m starved.”
“You can’t stop me. You can’t stop ‘The Storm.’ Only God can stop me,” Gautier continued. “When people go to fights, they treat it like a fight — I treat it like a war.” I don’t joke with my opponents. Every punch I threw was filled with malice. I’m not here to play. “
Gauthier entered UFC 324 with an eye-popping 89 percent completion rate and eight knockouts, seven of which came in the first round — numbers that suggest Plyayev will have little room for error on Saturday night.
For the latest and greatest UFC 324 news and notes, click here.
