UFC 318 was hardly the first Rodeo from Ateba Gautier.
The Dustin Poirier pension card has finished from top to bottom in New Orleans, with Lafayette's Carli Judice who won UFC 318 with a sizzling knee-to-the-lever TKO.
This was followed by five more finishes, demonstrably no more devastating than Ateba Gautier's ruthless 70-second knockout over Robert Valentin.
Gautier is a 23-year prospect in the middleweight from Cameroon and although many have called him the 'middleweight Francis Ngannou' for his KO power, Gautier certainly makes a name for himself with performances such as this one.
8-1 As a professional, the Young Gautier claims that he has had a lot of fighting experience from the university.
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Ateba Gautier 'Always' came in street fights when he went to the university in Cameroon
If he was not a professional hunter, Gautier told Bloody Elbow that he would work in it (informative technology).
Gautier had to choose between the two careers in the university in Cameroon.
“I have always fought on the street, in my country,” said Gautier at the UFC 318 after the press conference after the fight.
“Even when I was in the uni, I argued in Uni. It was normal for me.
“I wanted to fight, but my mother, oh no, [she said] You can't fight if you go to university …
“That's why I went to Uni, I did physics to make her [think] As if I am smart, not stupid, but fighting is for stupid people.
“I am smart, but I want to fight,” Gautier explained.
“I just enjoy the feelings, as if you were in danger. I like this feeling.”
Ateba Gautier wants to show his struggle after seventh consecutive Ko on UFC 318
That is seven knockouts in a row for Gautier after his only loss suffered in 2022.
Gautier quickly made work by Jose Medina in his UFC debut earlier this year and hit him from a round.
Gautier got Valentin away even faster and took it out in 70 seconds.
A threat on the feet, Gautier would like to show his wrestling – if the chance is given.
“My camp, we worked a lot on struggling,” Gautier said after the fight.
“We have done a lot of striking and many struggles, but I can't show my wrestling level, my grab level.
'If anyone wants to, okay, we'll go [to the ground].
“But if you don't arrive, what is the point?” Gautier added.