Pavel Andrușca fights in Paris tonight, in the UFC. It is the first bout for the Mănoilești-born fighter in the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion — and he is stepping in on just five days’ notice.
His opponent is Britain’s Nathaniel Wood, ranked No. 8 in the UFC featherweight division, with a record of 23 wins and 6 losses and a current four-fight winning streak. The bout is part of UFC Fight Night 287 at the Accor Arena in Paris.
How he got here
Andrușca was not on the Paris card. Wood’s original opponent, Brazilian Mairon Santos — winner of the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter — pulled out days before the event. Andrușca accepted the fight on five days’ notice, according to multiple international sports outlets.
It is a massive leap. The last time we wrote about him, on 25 July, he had just won by first-round knockout at UAE Warriors 72 in Abu Dhabi. Now, 42 days later, he steps straight into the UFC octagon against a fighter with 29 professional bouts, 14 of them in the UFC.
The numbers
Andrușca is 24 years old and undefeated: 8 fights, 8 wins, 7 of them finishes — six by knockout or TKO and one by submission. He began wrestling at age 10 at the Ungheni Sports School, where he trained in freestyle wrestling under coach Ghenadie Flocea. In 2022 he won bronze at the European Under-20 Freestyle Wrestling Championship in Italy.
Wood, by contrast, is 32 years old, has 29 professional fights and 14 UFC appearances. He has lost 6 bouts over his career, but none of his last four.
What’s next
The fight takes place tonight on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse. The event streams on UFC Fight Pass.
Data on the Paris event comes from the official UFC website and Yahoo Sports reporting. Andrușca’s record is from the Sherdog and Tapology databases, also verified in the Triunghi.md article of 25 July 2026. Wood’s ranking (#8 featherweight) is from roster.watch. The Ungheni connection — training at the Sports School and the European bronze medal — is documented in our earlier article, based on the United World Wrestling profile and the Ungheni District Council’s commendation.