UFC 324: Ateba Gautier vs Andrey Pulyaev Preview & Prediction
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Don’t blink as Middleweights collide with Cameroon’s Ateba Gautier meeting Russia’s Andrey Pulyaev in a high-impact prelim matchup.
Ateba Gautier vs Andrey Pulyaev facts
What time are Ateba Gautier and Andrey Pulyaev expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 324? T-Mobile Arena, Nevada, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 324? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 324
What TV channel is UFC 324 on? UK – TNT Sports Box Office / USA – Not televised
Where can I stream UFC 324? UK – TNT Sports subscribers who have paid for the fight can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett main card
Justin Gaethje vs Paddy Pimblett (Lightweight)
Sean O'Malley vs Song Yadong (Bantamweight)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Derrick Lewis (Heavyweight)
Natalia Silva vs Rose Namajunas (Women’s Flyweight)
Arnold Allen vs Jean Silva (Featherweight)
UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett prelims
Umar Nurmagomedov vs Deiveson Figueiredo (Bantamweight)
Ateba Gautier vs Andrey Pulyaev (Middleweight)
Nikita Krylov vs Modestas Bukauskas (Light Heavyweight)
Alex Perez vs Charles Johnson (Flyweight)
Michael Johnson vs Alexander Hernandez (Lightweight)
Josh Hokit vs Denzel Freeman (Heavyweight)
Ricky Turcios vs Cameron Smotherman (Bantamweight)
Adam Fugitt vs Ty Miller (Welterweight)
Ateba Gautier: Manchester Top Team finisher bringing technical pressure and serious power
Ateba “The Silent Assassin” Gautier (9-1-0) enters this fight as arguably the most intriguing middleweight on the entire roster, combining explosive athleticism with a surprisingly disciplined striking approach. Training out of Manchester Top Team under head coach Carl Prince, Gautier shares his environment with elite UK talent, including surging featherweight contender Lerone Murphy. That gym pedigree shows in his structure: he does not rely purely on chaos or reckless exchanges to create damage, instead building his offence through stiff jabs, controlled forward pressure, and smart cage positioning.
Gautier earned his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024 with a stoppage win over Yura Naito, and he has carried that form into the Octagon with three consecutive first-round finishes against Jose Daniel Medina, Robert Valentin, and most recently Tre’ston Vines. The pattern is consistent: once Gautier finds the range, he traps opponents near the fence and begins layering power shots behind his jab. His ability to cut off angles and force exchanges on his terms makes him a genuine early-round threat, especially against fighters who give ground and allow him to set his feet.
Andrey Pulyaev: Towering Russian with skill, but vulnerable when forced into the wrong kind of fight
Andrey Pulyaev (10-3-0) arrives as a physically imposing middleweight with strong length and an approach that often centres around operating at range. He earned his way into the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series with a decision win over Liam Anderson, showing controlled striking and the ability to manage rounds. Since entering the promotion, he has experienced mixed early results, including a loss to the talented Christian Leroy Duncan before rebounding with a win over Nick Klein. That split has reflected a fighter still settling into the demands and pace of UFC-level opposition.
Pulyaev’s style can be effective when he is allowed to fight on the back foot, pick shots, and keep exchanges measured. The concern is that he can become hittable when pressured consistently, particularly if opponents deny him space and force him into sustained exchanges near the fence. Against a fighter like Gautier, who looks comfortable pushing opponents backwards while remaining technically sound, Pulyaev may struggle to find a rhythm before the fight turns into a firefight. If he cannot control distance early, he risks being drawn into the type of high-damage sequence that Gautier specialises in.
Ateba Gautier vs Andrey Pulyaev prediction
This matchup looks tailor-made for Gautier to impose his strengths quickly. Pulyaev tends to concede ground and fight reactively, but giving space away against Gautier is dangerous because the Cameroonian does not need wild exchanges to land his best shots. He uses a jab to establish timing, cuts off exits, and builds pressure until opponents are trapped and forced to trade. Once Gautier lands cleanly, he tends to accelerate rapidly, and opponents can become compromised fast.
Pulyaev has the size and experience to make moments competitive, but Gautier’s recent form suggests he is arriving with sharper urgency, more confidence, and the kind of early-round stopping power that changes fights instantly. If Gautier starts fast and forces Pulyaev onto the fence, the Russian may not have the time or space to settle into his preferred tempo.
Prediction: Ateba Gautier to win by KO/TKO in round 1
