{"id":369802,"date":"2026-07-21T19:36:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T14:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=369802"},"modified":"2026-07-21T19:36:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T14:06:37","slug":"ufc-criticized-as-11-3-contender-is-matched-up-with-one-other-unranked-opponent-for-ufc-paris-clash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/21\/ufc-criticized-as-11-3-contender-is-matched-up-with-one-other-unranked-opponent-for-ufc-paris-clash\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC criticized as 11-3 contender is matched up with one other unranked opponent for UFC Paris clash"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Follow us on Google Discover<\/span> <\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Fans are unhappy with the UFC after their matchmaking for Nathaniel Wood\u2019s upcoming fight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After several years of fighting at bantamweight, the Brit made the move as much as 145lbs in 2022 in an try and finally get some recognition from the promotion.<\/p>\n

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Since then, \u2018The Last Kingsman\u2019 has won seven of his eight fights, continuing to showcase his potential as a future contender.<\/p>\n

But after beating highly touted former double champion Losene Keita at UFC London earlier this 12 months, Nathaniel Wood has once more been matched up with an unranked opponent for UFC Paris.<\/p>\n

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What’s your dream UFC fight in 2026?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\"Dana<\/div>
Dana White on the UFC 319 press conference. Credit: Photo by Mike Roach\/Zuffa LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Fans criticize Nathaniel Wood vs Mairon Santos matchup<\/h2>\n

Ahead of his clash against Keita, Wood stated that he feels hard done by having not been given a ranked opponent yet.<\/p>\n

And that’s seemingly a sentiment fans agree with, because it was recently announced that the 32-year-old will fight 17-1 contender, Mairon Santos, at UFC Paris in September.<\/p>\n

Santos is on a formidable 4 fight win streak since earning a contract by winning The Ultimate Fighter season 32 featherweight tournament.<\/p>\n

\u201cUFC hates (Wood), he\u2019s like (11-3) or something,\u201d one fan reacted to the matchup.<\/p>\n

\u201cWood getting a fight up the rankings challenge: Inconceivable. He easily (wins by decision) against this will, waste of time,\u201d one other fan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does Nathaniel Wood need to do to get a ranked fight? I can\u2019t consider some other fighter the UFC just refuse to push like this,\u201d a 3rd fan said.<\/p>\n

Wood\u2019s compatriot, Michael \u2018Venom\u2019 Page is currently going through the identical issues, and he recently criticized the UFC again for his or her matchmaking as of late.<\/p>\n

The similarity between each fighters is that nearly all of the time, their fights go to a call, which is something the UFC will not be fans of.<\/p>\n

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\"Nathaniel<\/div>
Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have a big following and UFC doesn\u2019t think he\u2019s top 15 material yet. He\u2019s an awesome fighter but I feel he needs more conviction. He needs to start out ending fights He hasn\u2019t scored a single finish in 7 years,\u201d one fan defended the UFC over the matchup.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy isn\u2019t Wood fighting someone within the rankings? He is ready to be a gatekeeper to the rankings despite winning 7 of his last 8 and the loss being from Naimov who cheated throughout,\u201d one other fan commented.<\/p>\n

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Follow us on Google Discover Fans are unhappy with the UFC after their matchmaking for Nathaniel Wood\u2019s upcoming fight. After several years of fighting at bantamweight, the Brit made the move as much as 145lbs in 2022 in an try and finally get some recognition from the promotion. Since then, \u2018The Last Kingsman\u2019 has won […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":369803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[1128,8911,12366,38753,8845,1229,3928,26743],"class_list":["post-369802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-clash","tag-contender","tag-criticized","tag-matched","tag-opponent","tag-paris","tag-ufc","tag-unranked"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t