We're back with another betting prediction and pick for UFC 324, continuing the Prelims with this upcoming bout in the Middleweight (185) Division. Cameroon's rising prospect Ateba Gautier comes in the heavy betting favorite against Russia's Andrey Pulyaev in a fight you won't want to miss. Check our UFC odds series for the Gautier-Pulyaev prediction and pick.
Ateba Gautier (9-1) is 3-0 inside the UFC in 2025, ending each of his first three UFC appearances by way of knockout in the first round. With two performance bonuses already under his belt, he'll look for another strong showing as the second-highest favorite on the fight card. Gautier stands 6-foot-4 with an 81-inch reach.
Andrey Pulyaev (10-3) has gone 1-1 through his first two UFC fights in 2025. He suffered a debut loss at the hands of now-ranked Christian Leroy Duncan, but bounced back with a decisive TKO over Nick Klein during his last appearance. Pulyaev stands 6-foot-4 with a 78.5-inch reach.
UFC 324 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 324 Odds: Ateba Gautier-Andrey Pulyaev Odds
Ateba Gautier: -850
Andrey Pulyaev: +575
Over 1.5 rounds: +165
Under 1.5 rounds: -215
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Why Ateba Gautier Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Tre'ston Vines – TKO (elbow, R1)
- Last 5: 5-0
- Finishes: 8 KO/TKO
Ateba Gautier enters his fourth UFC appearance after being billed at least a -450 betting favorite in each of his first three fights. A -2000 favorite during his last bout, Gautier has managed to dispose of each of his opponents in similar fashion, landing massive shots in the first round and eventually catching his target. If Gautier is able to drop his opponent at any point, he's almost guaranteed to finish the fight with hellacious ground-and-pound.
He's also a physical freak and at 6-foot-4, will have a significant strength advantage over most of his opponents. He'll be the much stronger and more athletic fighter in this particular matchup, making up for any shortcomings in technique with raw athleticism and power. His movement and octagon presence have been coming along greatly given his relative inexperience, so expect him to waste no time in closing the distance once again during this bout.
While Gautier never really intended on fighting in the UFC and turning MMA into a career path, he certainly possesses all the tools to one day become a champion in the division. There isn't much film on him in the UFC, simply because he's been able to run through his competition so easily. If he does so again on Saturday, Gautier should be in-line for ranked opposition during his next bout.
Why Andrey Pulyaev Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Nick Klein – TKO (body kick, R2)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 6 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Andrey Pulyaev put his kickboxing on display during his last bout, landing the perfect body kick to the liver to neutralize his opponent. Quickly following up the drop with ground strikes, the win has to instill some confidence in Pulyaev following his debut loss. He's still rough around the edges in terms of putting everything together for a complete three rounds, but he's growing as a submission threat and has a great chin up to this point.
He'll need every bit of that chin when absorbing punches from Gautier, but Pulyaev will have to be generally defensive throughout this fight. His defense will also have to be crisp as any glaring mistakes or openings could leave him vulnerable for a devastating strike. Expect Pulyaev to be extremely cautious through the opening minutes of the fight as he tries to gauge the timing and distance of his opponent.
Pulyaev's kicking techniques may be his one true advantage over Gautier from the matchup standpoint and having won his last fight with a body kick, he should look towards that same well in hopes of success against Gautier. If he's able to hinder the forward movement with early kicks to the calf, it could ease some of the pressure off Gautier's one-punch knockout threat.
Final Ateba Gautier-Andrey Pulyaev Prediction & Pick
There hasn't been much standing in the way of Ateba Gautier up to this point and as the -850 betting favorite this time around, he should be in for another quick finish that rises his stock even more. With ranked opposition right around the corner, Gautier is expected to continue performing at a high clip as he hasn't shown us any real weaknesses up to this point.
While Andrey Pulyaev is a formidable opponent with respectable kickboxing skills, I don't see his strikes doing enough damage to stop Gautier from chasing the impending knockout. Ultimately, his one chance during this fight will be to seriously damage the legs early and hope that he can turn the forward pressure in his favor.
Still, we'll roll with Ateba Gautier to find the finish in the first round as his stock continues to grow on a PPV stage.
Final Ateba Gautier-Andrey Pulyaev Prediction & Pick: Ateba Gautier (-850); UNDER 1.5 Rounds (-215)
