'Middleweight Francis Ngannou' praised after huge knee KO in UFC Mexico City debut
03/29/2025 07:36 PM
The country of Cameroon has new hope for a UFC Champion.
It was in 2021 when Francis Ngannou won the heavyweight throne, becoming the first Cameroonian to win a UFC title. Four years later, there’s another name on the scene and he just made a massive impression on the middleweight division.
His name is Ateba Gautier AKA ‘The Silent Assassin’, producing quite the reaction from the Mexican crowd on Saturday. Gautier fought on the undercard of UFC Mexico City, headlined by Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg.
One of the youngest fighters on the UFC roster at 22 years old, Gautier is a 6’4 middleweight fighter with a 6-1 record heading into his promotional debut against Jose Medina.
Ateba Gautier punched out opponent after ‘pokerface’
Gautier drew first blood right away, cracking Medina with strikes.
Four minutes into the fight, Medina tried to play it off as if he weren’t hurt, smiling and waving his hand.
Seven seconds later, Gautier wiped the smirk off his face with a combo and followed up with a brutal knee up the middle. Gautier launched one more right hand as Medina hit the canvas.
A walk-off KO for the debuting Gautier.
‘Middleweight Francis Ngannou’
“That's how you introduce yourself to UFC fans!” one fan wrote on X.
“Middleweights, you have a Francis Ngannou,” another fan posted on X.
“Middleweight Francis Ngannou,” MMA on Point wrote on X.
Similar to the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, all but one of Gautier’s wins have come by stoppage.
With a knockout like at that in his UFC debut, Ateba Gautier is one exciting prospect to keep an eye on in the middleweight division.
