UFC Fight Night: Nathaniel Wood vs Pavel Andrusca Preview & Prediction

Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

The debuting Pavel Andrusca steps in for Mairon Santos to face Nathaniel Wood in a featherweight matchup on the prelims.

Nathaniel Wood vs Pavel Andrusca facts

What time are Nathaniel Wood and Pavel Andrusca expected to walk out? 5 September 2026 at 6:30 pm

Where is UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse? Accor Arena, Paris, France

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 287

What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount

Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse main card

Dan Hooker vs Salahdine Parnasse (Lightweight)

Fares Ziam vs Axel Sola (Lightweight)

Michael Page vs Nursulton Ruziboev (Middleweight)

Daniil Donchenko vs Punahele Soriano (Welterweight)

Kurtis Campbell vs Trevor Peek (Featherweight)

Losene Keita vs Muhammad Naimov (Featherweight)

UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse prelims

Morgan Charriere vs Felipe Lima (Featherweight)

Mario Pinto vs Ryan Spann (Heavyweight)

Oumar Sy vs Modestas Bukauskas (Light Heavyweight)

Nathaniel Wood vs Pavel Andrusca (Featherweight)

Michael Aljarouj vs Fabia Sintes (Flyweight)

Nora Cornolle vs Klaudia Sygula (Women's Bantamweight)

Matthieu Letho Duclos vs Luis Felipe Dias (Middleweight)

Delphine Benouaich vs Sofia Montenegro (Women's Strawweight)

Nathaniel Wood: The English MMA mainstay looks to secure an overdue shot at the rankings

A lynchpin of the bantamweight and featherweight divisions since 2018, former Cage Warriors champion, Nathaniel Wood (23-6) enters this matchup riding a four fight win streak, a run that includes several victories over opponents who were favoured to best him. He's 7-1 at 145 pounds since making the jump from bantamweight, with an egregiously refereed bout against Muhammad Naimov serving as his only setback at featherweight. A sharp and technical kickboxer with excellent calf kicks, Wood is also known for a solid wrestling game. He's also proven incredibly difficult to finish, with just a single stoppage loss in fourteen UFC fights.

Pavel Andrusca: Can the Moldovan crash the party and earn the upset in his debut?

Stepping in for Mairon Santos on short notice, undefeated KO artist, Pavel Andrusca (8-0) arrives in the UFC looking to make a splash. With just a single victory by decision, the Moldovan is a dangerous finisher with dynamite in his fists. Andrusca gets his shot at the big leagues following two brutal one-shot KOs in succession on UAE warriors. The 24 year old prospect moves up to featherweight for this matchup having fought the majority of his career at 135 pounds. However, at 5'7", he's actually going to be the larger man in this matchup, speaking to the physicality he had at bantamweight.

Nathaniel Wood vs Pavel Andrusca prediction

It baffles me as to what the UFC have against Wood. He's 7-1 since moving up to featherweight and should arguably be 8-0 considering how badly Muhammad Naimov cheated against him in his only loss. Not only is he not getting a ranked opponent, but he's lower on the card than Morgan Charriere and Losene Keita, two men that he's literally already beaten!

With that being said, Andrusca may be taking this on short notice, but I think he’s actually got a sneaky chance to score the upset here. The Moldovan is a big, physical force who hits like a truck and has never tasted defeat. Wood has produced some superb results recently, but he’s also getting hurt and wobbled with alarming frequency. The damage is eventually going to catch up and Andrusca could be the one to halt the Englishman’s momentum with a clubbing shot in the early goings. “The Last Kingsman” has finally managed to put some respect on his name; it would be typical of the MMA gods to hand him a shock KO loss.

With that being said, we’ve just seen Wood’s veteran wile carry him past another heavy-handed prospect in Losene Keita. Andrusca will be dangerous early and could well hurt the Englishman before he gets going, but give me Wood by crafty 29-28 decision.

Prediction: Nathaniel Wood to win by decision