Wood Apologises After Upset Loss At UFC Paris

Nathaniel Wood has apologised to his team after suffering an upset loss to UFC debutant Pavel Andrusca at UFC Paris on Sept. 5.

Wood entered as a heavy favourite against the undefeated Moldovan, who took the fight on five days' notice after original opponent Mairon Santos withdrew due to illness. Andrusca outstruck the Englishman in the opening frame and edged a close third round to win by unanimous decision, per Sherdog, halting Wood's four-fight winning streak.

Wood Vows To Return Stronger After Andrusca Setback

The bantamweight posted on social media the day after the loss, taking responsibility for the result. "Unfortunately, I didn't perform how I could or should have, sorry to my team for not doing what I needed," Wood wrote. "Losing really does spark something inside, I'll be right back."

Wood had gained momentum in the second round but could not sustain the pressure against Andrusca, who improved to 9-0 with the win. The 31-year-old Englishman had previously stopped prospects including Morgan Charriere, Jose Delgado and Losene Keita during his winning run.

Wood drops to 23-7 overall. No timeline has been announced for his return to the octagon.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Nathaniel Wood apologizes for stunning UFC Paris upset loss