'I told you so' ... UFC Mexico prelim fighter wins severe mismatch

There's a new name to watch out for in the UFC middleweight division.

Following back-to-back barnburner decisions on the UFC Mexico City prelims, Cameroon's Ateba Gautier shut the lights off of Jose Medina in the featured bout.

Ateba Gautier knees Jose Medina at UFC Mexico City — UFC-UFC Fight Pas

Ateba Gautier knocks out Jose Medina at UFC Mexico City

Gautier graduated Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) with a knockout in September 2024. Medina also graduated DWCS, but not in the same fashion. 'Chicho' was awarded a UFC contract for showing heart in a losing effort to Magomed Gadzhiyasulov.

This trend continued into his UFC debut, where Medina was beaten pillar to post by Zach Reese in August 2024. Despite this, the Bolivian slugger isn't afraid to smile in the face of adversity, which made him an ideal sacrificial lamb for Gautier's promotional debut at UFC Mexico City.

It was one-way traffic from the opening bell, with 6'4" middleweight Gautier smashing Medina's face with a ramrod jab, and rewarding any offense with a punishing left hook that had Medina grimacing.

The action wouldn't last much longer, as Gautier stalked Medina to the cageside like a wounded prey animal, and unleashed a lethal combination, signed off by a knee to the face that sent Medina to the canvas.

"I told you so," Gautier said in his post-fight interview. "I can knock out anybody."

WHAT A DEBUT 💥 #UFCMexico

How about that first round KO from Ateba Gautier?! pic.twitter.com/7i7OJYbCiD
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 29, 2025

Gautier is definitely one to watch going forward; Though hopefully the UFC matches him up with equal opposition for his next appearance.

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