Gautier Flattens Valentin in Under Two Minutes at UFC 318. Ateba Gautier continued his knockout surge at UFC 318 in New Orleans, flattening Robert Valentin in just 70 seconds of the first round.
In the prelim event of UFC 318, Gautier walked into the Octagon with ice in his veins and fire in his fists. On the other side of the cage was Robert Valentin, a former TUF 32 finalist known for grit and toughness. But toughness wasn’t enough with his bout with Gautier.
“The Silent Assassin,” Ateba Gautier has been a wrecking ball since turning pro. His last three wins speak volumes about his style, patient, explosive, and precise. Gautier first caught attention on the regional scene with a brutal head-kick knockout of Vuk Lekić at Titan FC 82 in 2023. In September 2024, he made the most of his shot on Dana White’s Contender Series, stopping Japan’s Yura Naito via second-round TKO that earned him a UFC contract and confirmed what many already suspected that he is more than just a highlight machine.
Gautier made his UFC debut in March 2025 at a Fight Night event in Mexico City, facing off against Jose Medina. He won with a thunderous first-round knee KO that stopped Medina cold and earned Gautier a Performance of the Night bonus.
Valentin, his opponent made his UFC debut in August 2024 at UFC Vegas 96, where he faced off with Ryan Loder. It was a tough introduction as Valentin was stopped by TKO in the second round, unable to weather the storm from the gritty American wrestler. In April 2025, Valentin returned to face Torrez Finney at UFC Vegas 105. It was a much closer contest with Valentin showing more composure and grit. The bout went the distance, and while many believed he had done enough, the judges awarded Finney a split decision win. Valentin stepped into the octagon hoping to redeem himself.
From the opening bell, Gautier didn’t waste any time making his presence felt. A sharp left hand rocked Valentin early, sending him stumbling across the cage. Valentin tried to stay on his feet, covering up and circling away, but Gautier didn’t fall into the trap of rushing the finish.
Calm and calculated, he kept the pressure steady, picking his shots with precision. A clean combination dropped Valentin near the fence, Gautier then unloaded a series of heavy shots, that prompted referee Herb Dean to step in at 1 minute 10 seconds into Round 1, as Valentin could no longer defend himself Referee Herb Dean saw enough and had to step in to wave off the bout.
After dropping Valentin with a sharp left hand and following up with pinpoint combinations, Gautier sealed the deal just 1 minute and 10 seconds into Round 1. “This is war, I was born to do this.”…“I don’t think of this as work… I love fighting, I have no fears, and there are no days off.” Ateba said in an interview with the MMA Junkie.
Ateba Gautier didn’t just get the job done at UFC 318, he made a statement with his cool, calculated, and dangerous moves. He showed the composure of a veteran and the power of a future contender.
