UFC Paris struck by huge last-minute change as British champion called up for debut on four days’ notice

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Sep 3, 2025 - 21:34

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UFC Paris struck by huge last-minute change as British champion called up for debut on four days’ notice

Harry Hardwick has been called up at the last-minute to make his UFC debut in Paris on Saturday.

The British featherweight steps up on four days’ notice to replace Fares Ziam in fighting Brazil’s Kaue Fernandes on a 14-fight UFC Paris card.

Hardwick will make his UFC debut on four days’ notice in Paris on Saturday

‘Houdini’ boasts a pro MMA record of 13-3-1

Ziam withdrew from the card after his grandmother passed away, leaving 30-year-old Hardwick with the opportunity of a lifetime.

Hardwick joins a stacked UFC Paris card, which also features four other MMA stars making their inaugural appearances in Dana White’s promotion.

Ante Delija, Axel Sola, Losene Keita, and Robert Ruchala have all flown to Paris this week from various promotions to make their UFC debut.

What is Harry Hardwick’s MMA record?

Hardwick has won 13, drawn one, and lost four of his 17 MMA fights since turning professional in 2015.

‘Houdini’ is currently on an eight-fight win streak in the sport, having been crowned the Cage Warriors featherweight champion for the first time in May 2024.

He has since defended the belt twice and makes a huge step up on Saturday to fight Fernandes, who upset Guram Kutateladze via unanimous decision in the first fight of UFC London in March.

Hardwick’s younger brother, George, is also a pro MMA fighter, with a scarily similar 13-3 record.

Who is fighting at UFC Paris?

UFC Paris is headlined by a middleweight title eliminator bout between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho.

The co-main event also has France vs Brazil, as top-ranked lightweights Benoit Saint Denis and Mauricio Ruffy face off.

Also on the main card, Ireland’s Rhys McKee and Welshman Mason Jones feature, while Brits Modestas Bukauskas and Paul Craig battle it out.

View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCParis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Imavov faces Borralho in a top-ranked middleweight bout in UFC Paris’ main event

Former Oktagon two-weight champion Keita and undefeated, dominant ex-Ares FC lightweight champion Sola both have fights at the top of the bill too.

Moving down the card, UFC veteran Marcin Tybura makes his 37th walk to face debutant and training partner of Tom Aspinall, Ante Delija, in a huge heavyweight bout.

Briton Sam Patterson is looking to make it four first-round finishes in a row through his welterweight fight with Trey Waters, and Ireland’s Shauna Bannon is looking to better her UFC London performance against Sam Hughes.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Jones, who takes on Belgium fighter Bolaji Oki on the main card, couldn’t contain his excitement for the UFC Paris card.

“This is the biggest arena I’ve ever fought in, to date, 21,500 people,” he explained.

“I’ve been to an event in Paris before to watch a friend of mine fight in a different organisation, and to be fair, they’re one of the loudest crowds I’ve ever seen.

UFC Paris Main Card + Prelims

Saturday, September 6, Accor Arena

Main card

#2 Nassourdine Imavov (16-4-0) vs. #7 Caio Borralho (17-1-0)
#13 Benoit Saint Denis (14-3-0) vs. #15 Mauricio Ruffy (12-1-0)
Modestas Bukauskas (18-6-0) vs. Paul Craig (17-9-1)
Bolaji Oki (10-2-0) vs. Mason Jones (16-2-0)
Axel Sola (10-0-1) vs. Rhys McKee (14-6-1)
#11 Patricio Freire (37-8-0) vs. Losene Keita (16-1-0)

Prelims

William Gomis (14-3-0) vs. Robert Ruchala (11-1-0)
Oumar Sy (11-1-0) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (17-8-0)
#7 Marcin Tybura (27-9-0) vs. Ante Delija (25-6-0)
Harry Hardwick (13-3-1) vs. Kaue Fernandes (10-2-0)
Sam Patterson (13-2-1) vs. Trey Waters (9-1-0)
Brad Tavares (21-10-0) vs. Robert Bryczek (17-6-0)
Andreas Gustafsson (12-2-0) vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov (23-1-1)
Shauna Bannon (7-1-0) vs. Sam Hughes (10-6-0)

Jones struggled to put his thoughts into words when thinking ahead to UFC Paris

“So, to be able to fight under that is going to be insane… I’m super excited.

“I can’t even put it into words. Just the fact that I get to go out there and put on a performance in front of such a big crowd, in the fashion I’m going to do it in, is just exciting.”

Light heavyweight star Bukauskas, who is looking to enter the top 15 in his division with a win over Scotland’s experienced Craig, said this fight was the biggest of his life.

“100 per cent, definitely the biggest name, and in terms of what [Craig] has accomplished in the light heavyweight division,” Bukauskas told talkSPORT.com.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better [fight], especially a guy that’s been in the game and been in the UFC for many years.

“To have that name under my belt is definitely gonna be a big one… I’m really looking forward to it.”