Zac Pauga

Zac Pauga is a light heavyweight mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC between 2022 and 2024, facing a string of ranked and experienced opponents in the division. His time in the promotion was marked by inconsistent results: he notched a hard-earned unanimous decision over Jordan Wright in February 2023, but suffered losses to strikers and submission specialists, including a devastating first-round knockout to future Performance of the Night winner Bogdan Guskov in February 2024. These losses to higher-ranked competition underlined the difficulty of sustaining a run at the elite level.

After his UFC stint, Pauga transitioned to other combat-sports organizations. He competed in Karate Combat, a striking-focused promotion, and has also fought in DBX, where he scored a first-round TKO victory over Joseph White in April 2026. His career trajectory reflects the reality many mid-tier UFC fighters face: strong enough to compete on the big stage, but unable to break through to contention. Pauga remains active and willing to take fights wherever they are offered, positioning himself as a test case for developing prospects and a reliable name in the lightweight heavyweight ecosystem.