Nathaniel Wood explains ‘lose-lose’ scenario for UFC Paris fight despite new world ranking

Despite heading into UFC Paris as a ranked fighter for the first time, Nathaniel Wood finds himself in a ‘lose-lose’ situation.

Wood, the No. 8-ranked UFC featherweight who has won seven of his last eight fights in Dana White‘s promotion, 23-6 overall in his MMA career, takes on undefeated Moldovan newcomer Pavel Andrusca at the Accor Arena on Saturday.

Getty

The Paris Fight Night card is headlined by the highly anticipated debut of French MMA star Salahdine Parnasse, who faces lightweight veteran Dan Hooker, while a plethora of British talent also feature.

Last time out at UFC London in March, Wood defeated former Oktagon two-weight champion Losene Keita, who was viewed as a massive threat to the elites in the 145lbs division, as an underdog.

Although the split decision win later earned him a UFC ranking, the Englishman was then matched against Mairon Santos, who pulled out of the Paris event late last month, for his next fight.

Santos won The Ultimate Fighter 32 in August 2024 and won all three of his UFC fights in 2025, with an overall record currently standing at 18-1.

It felt like Wood was handed, yet again, another fighter expected to cause him problems, with no real reward on offer for a victory in terms of progress towards a championship bout.

And although ‘The Last Kingsman’ recognises a short-notice opponent was unlikely to be at the standard he wants, the same pattern has unfolded for his fight in the French capital.

UFC Paris nothing but a paycheck for Wood

“Santos was a little bit of a frustrating matchup, because I do believe I deserve higher,” Wood told talkSPORT.com.

“Obviously, the opponent that I have now, it’s also frustrating, but when an opponent pulls out two weeks prior to a fight, you’re not gonna get a ranked guy stepping in on two weeks’ notice.”

He continued: “This is Andrusca’s entry to the UFC. They’ve turned around and obviously said, ‘Look, you’re in the UFC now if you take this fight…’

“So win, lose, draw, for him, it’s a win-win. It doesn’t matter, because he’s now in the UFC. He can say, I took the fight on two weeks’ notice, or a week’s notice, whatever it is.

Getty

“And there shouldn’t be as much pressure riding on him. So, for me, it is frustrating, because it’s a lose-lose. You don’t really get anything out of it other than your paycheck.

“But at the end of the day, I’m a professional fighter — I need to fight, I need to turn up to get paid, and that’s what I’m doing.

“I’m not looking at this guy any different from anyone else. He’s a dangerous opponent, and every fight that I have, in my mind, that is the most dangerous fight that I’ve got.”

Wood is the highest-ranked fighter across all weight classes featuring at UFC Paris and, alongside Michael ‘Venom’ Page, is one of the biggest names on the bill.

However, his fight against Andrusca is scheduled for early in the prelims.

For Wood, who has already aired his frustrations at matchmaking in the UFC, it’s a tough position to be in, but one where he can only simply control the controllables.

Getty

Wood: I like to think UFC is on my side

Asked about whether his ranking enables a clearer path towards fighting for the UFC featherweight title, currently held by Alexander Volkanovski, Wood responded: “There is, but I don’t really seem to be getting the ranked opponents above me, so that takes that out.

“In my head, I go, ‘What can I control?’ And all I can control is turning up on fight night and doing the best that I possibly can.

“And I like to think that the Meta-ranking system, the UFC, whoever’s behind it, whoever dictates where these fighters get ranked, is on my side and will eventually get me to where I believe I can be.”

Wood explained how the late change of opponent has barely affected his preparations for UFC Paris.

Both Andrusca and Santos fight orthodox and Wood says previous last-minute changes have helped him learn never to prepare for only one opponent.

He is out to claim his fifth consecutive UFC win this weekend and prove again why he deserves to be pushed towards a title shot at 145lbs.

talkSPORT's UFC pound-for-pound rankings

talkSPORT.com has collectively voted on the best fighters to form a regularly updated UFC pound-for-pound (P4P) rankings system for the rest of 2026 and beyond.

Our P4P list will be updated regularly based on performances in the Octagon — with wins, records, title wins and defences, calibre of opponents, methods of victory and much more all determining who makes it.

UFC champions Islam Makhachev, Tom Aspinall and Sean Strickland feature – but big stars such as Alex Pereira and Arman Tsarukyan miss out.

Watch UFC Paris: Hooker vs Parnasse live on TNT Sports and HBO Max on Saturday, September 5 from 8pm UK time.