Roman Kopylov (7-5 in the UFC) will face Ateba Gautier (5-0 in the UFC) at UFC 332 on October 3 in Utah. The middleweight matchup adds two fighters with contrasting UFC records to the card.
Roman Kopylov and Ateba Gautier have been booked for a middleweight clash at UFC 332, scheduled for October 3 in Utah. The pairing brings together two strikers with notably different trajectories inside the UFC octagon.
Kopylov, a 34-year-old southpaw out of Russia's Raty Team, carries an overall professional record of 15-5-0 and a 7-5 mark under the UFC banner. The six-foot, 183-centimeter middleweight owns a 75-inch reach and has built a reputation as a high-output striker, landing 4.59 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy. He also adds a wrestling dimension to his game, averaging 1.14 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Gautier, known as "The Silent Assassin," enters the fight unbeaten inside the UFC at 5-0, contributing to an overall record of 11-1-0. At just 24 years old, the switch-stance middleweight presents a significant physical profile: six-foot-four (193 cm) with an 81-inch reach stretching to 206 centimeters. He lands 4.44 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, making him a volume striker in his own right.
Why it matters
- Kopylov's UFC record of 7-5 means another loss would put real pressure on his roster standing, giving him considerable motivation to perform.
- Gautier's perfect 5-0 UFC start has him ascending in the middleweight division, and a win over a seasoned UFC veteran would strengthen his claim for a ranked opponent next.
- The physical contrast is stark — Gautier holds a four-inch height advantage and a six-inch reach advantage over Kopylov, which will be a central factor in how the fight is contested at distance.
- Both men are high-volume strikers with minimal submission activity, pointing toward a stand-up contest when they meet on October 3.
Saturday, October 3, 2026
