TUF winner out of UFC Paris, undefeated knockout artist steps in on short notice

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 08: Mairon Santos of Brazil awaits the decision in a featherweight fight during the UFC 313 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

“The Last Kingsman” has a new opponent in “The City of Light.”

The Ultimate Fighter Season 32 winner and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight prospect Mairon Santos was scheduled to face No. 8-ranked Nathaniel Wood at UFC Paris this weekend (Sat., Sept. 5, 2026) inside Accor Arena in Paris, France.

Unfortunately, Santos has withdrawn from the matchup and has been replaced by undefeated UFC newcomer Pavel Andrusca on less than one week’s notice.

Andrusca, 24, is a perfect 8-0 as a professional and enters his Octagon debut riding a seven-fight finishing streak. The Moldovan knockout artist owns an 88 percent career finish rate, including six knockouts and five first-round stoppages.

He is coming off a brutal first-round knockout of Gexipengchu at UAE Warriors 72 in July, flattening the 13-2 Chinese veteran with a sniper-like right hand at 2:09 (watch the video above).

Oh, and Andrusca has spent his entire career competing at Bantamweight.

Now, on just a few days’ notice, the 5-foot-6 finisher will move up to Featherweight and immediately face the No. 8-ranked fighter in the division.

Safe to say, Andrusca is an excellent signing — but UFC is throwing him directly into the deep end for his debut.

Wood (23-6), meanwhile, is riding an impressive four-fight winning streak with victories over Losene Keita, Jose Delgado, Morgan Charriere and Daniel Pineda.

“The Last Kingsman” has quietly compiled an 11-3 UFC record and remains one of the most overlooked Featherweights on the roster for whatever reason. Saturday’s replacement arguably gives Wood more to lose than gain, as he must defend his ranking against an undefeated knockout artist whom most UFC fans have never seen.

Here is what the completed UFC Paris card looks like — knock on wood:

  • Dan Hooker vs. Salahdine Parnasse
  • Fares Ziam vs. Axel Sola
  • Michael Page vs. Nursulton Ruziboev
  • Daniil Donchenko vs. Punahele Soriano
  • Morgan Charrière vs. Felipe Lima
  • Losene Keita vs. Muhammad Naimov
  • Mario Pinto vs. Ryan Spann
  • Kurtis Campbell vs. Trevor Peek
  • Oumar Sy vs. Modestas Bukauskas
  • Nathaniel Wood vs. Pavel Andrusca
  • Michael Aljarouj vs. Fabia Sintes
  • Nora Cornolle vs. Klaudia Syguła
  • Matthieu Duclos vs. Luis Felipe Dias
  • Delphine Benouaich vs. Sofia Montenegro

For the rest of the UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.