Roman Kopylov pulls off one of UFC 332’s biggest upsets, stopping highly regarded prospect Ateba Gautier by TKO at 3:12 of the opening round.
Gautier enters the middleweight clash riding a 10-fight winning streak and an unbeaten UFC record, while Kopylov comes in looking for greater consistency after a mixed run inside the Octagon. He ultimately produces the performance of the night, using his counter-striking and accuracy to shut down Gautier’s dangerous offense.
Gautier starts aggressively, but Kopylov remains composed and refuses to get drawn into a wild exchange. Kopylov keeps his distance and begins finding his target with the straight left, repeatedly catching Gautier as the he tries to close the gap. As the round progresses, Kopylov’s accuracy starts to make the difference. A clean straight left visibly rocks Gautier, and Kopylov immediately recognizes the opening.
He follows with a sharp combination, eventually sending Gautier crashing to the canvas. Kopylov wastes no time following him down. The Russian unleashes a barrage of ground strikes as Gautier attempts to defend himself.
With Gautier unable to intelligently respond, referee had to step in at 3:12 of Round 1, giving Kopylov the TKO victory. “Honestly, I think I’m dreaming,” Kopylov says. “Thank you to my coaches, this is them, this is all their work.” He admits he was surprised to get the knockout given Gautier’s reputation as a knockout artist.
The victory gives Kopylov a major win over one of the UFC’s highly regarded young middleweights. Gautier entered the fight at 11-1 overall and 5-0 in the UFC, riding a 10-fight winning streak. For Kopylov, the victory marks his second UFC win of 2026 and potentially gives him another opportunity to climb toward the middleweight rankings. Gautier, meanwhile, suffers only the second professional defeat of his career and sees his impressive winning streak come to an end.
