Kopylov Stuns Gautier With First-Round TKO At UFC 332
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Roman Kopylov pulled off a massive upset at UFC 332 on Saturday night, stopping highly-touted middleweight prospect Ateba Gautier with a first-round TKO at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Kopylov entered as a sizeable underdog against Gautier, who had been fast-tracked toward the top 15 based on his knockout power. But the Russian veteran stayed technical from the opening bell, per MMA Fighting, landing clean straight lefts that gave Gautier problems throughout the brief contest.
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How Kopylov Landed the Upset
The finish came at 3:12 of the first round after Kopylov cracked Gautier with another straight left that sent the Cameroon fighter wobbling to the canvas. Kopylov followed to the ground and hammered away with punches until the referee waved it off. "Honestly, I think I'm dreaming," Kopylov said afterward, according to MMA Fighting. "That straight [punch] is what changed entire course of the fight."
MMA Mania noted that Kopylov never put himself in serious danger, controlling range with jabs and kicks before landing the decisive blow. Gautier, who had been on a fast track to a ranked matchup, now faces his first significant setback at 185 pounds.
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The win marked one of the best results of Kopylov's UFC tenure and opened the main card in style. Gautier will need to regroup after failing to land the early knockout power that made him a betting favourite.
Original reporting:
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