Pavel Andrusca stepped into the UFC Paris preliminary card on short notice, facing Nathaniel Wood in a featherweight fight at the Accor Arena in Paris.
Andrusca was replacing Mairon Santos, winner of The Ultimate Fighter 32.
The first real action of the fight came from Andrusca, who landed a nice right hand about a minute in. He missed on a takedown but followed with a short uppercut before exploding into another shot and getting Wood to the mat. Wood avoided danger by using the cage to work back to his feet. Before the break, Andrusca landed several sharp short strikes. Wood answered with a heavy outside leg kick, but Andrusca came back with a flying knee and a big right hand. He missed on another takedown but landed a short elbow in tight. Wood tried to slow the pace, but Andrusca was too explosive throughout the opening round.
Wood started the second round with another heavy leg kick. Andrusca landed a one-two before shooting for a takedown that Wood shrugged off. Wood needed to earn Andrusca’s respect, and he did so by landing a big right hand that sat Andrusca down. Andrusca had to panic-wrestle to regain his bearings, but he survived long enough to find a takedown. Shockingly, Andrusca turned the tides and locked up a tight arm-triangle attempt. Wood showed zero quit and exploded back to his feet. With two minutes left in the round, Wood appeared to be the fresher fighter and began walking Andrusca back toward the cage. Andrusca, though, did a great job fighting in bursts and giving Wood plenty to think about. He landed a nicely timed knee and elbow before ending the round with a single-leg takedown.
In the final round, Andrusca landed a good right hand during an exchange. He missed on another takedown but continued shooting throughout the fight, keeping Wood on his toes. Andrusca landed a sharp combination and fought with a great deal of urgency. He eventually got Wood against the cage for a significant stretch, landing short elbows and knees and even splitting Wood’s head open. With a minute remaining, Andrusca mixed in another takedown and continued landing short punches from top position. He ended the round in a flurry, securing what should be a massive win for the debutant.
It was, with Andrusca remaining undefeated as a pro. While impressing and showing he has serious potential to advance at 145lbs.
Official Result: Pavel Andrusca def. Nathaniel Wood by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-28)
