UFC Paris maintains its full lineup despite a late withdrawal.
On Monday, Fares Ziam announced he had to pull out from his lightweight fight against Kaue Fernandes. He cited the tragic passing of his grandmother. Ziam’s withdrawal left Fernandes’ participation uncertain, raising questions about whether he would remain on the card or fight at a later date.
Fernandes Gains a New Opponent
Fernandes will stay on the UFC Paris card. Cage Warriors featherweight champion Harry Hardwick accepted the matchup on only five days’ notice. Hardwick, nicknamed “Houdini,” last fought at Cage Warriors 186 in March. He defended his 145-pound title with a technical decision win over Javier Garcia.
Hardwick holds a nine-fight unbeaten streak and a professional record of 13 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. Seven of his victories came by knockout or submission.
Fernandes last competed at UFC London in March, winning a unanimous decision over Guram Kutateladze. The 30-year-old Brazilian debuted at UFC São Paulo in November 2023, narrowly losing a split decision to Marc Diakiese. He now carries a 10-2 professional record.
UFC Paris Promises Action
UFC Paris takes place Saturday, September 6, at France’s Accor Arena. The event features 14 bouts with strong French representation.
The main event pits Nassourdine Imavov against Caio Borralho in a middleweight clash that could impact title contention. The co-main event sees French favorite Benoît Saint Denis face rising lightweight prospect Mauricio Ruffy. Featherweight veteran Patricio Pitbull meets former two-division OKTAGON champion Losene Keita in a high-profile UFC debut.
Full UFC Paris Fight Card
- Middleweight: Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho
- Lightweight: Benoît Saint Denis vs. Mauricio Ruffy
- Lightweight: Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones
- Light heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig
- Featherweight: Patricio Pitbull vs. Losene Keita
- Lightweight: Kaue Fernandes vs. Harry Hardwick
- Featherweight: William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchala
- Light heavyweight: Oumar Sy vs. Brendson Ribeiro
- Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija
- Welterweight: Rhys McKee vs. Axel Sola
- Welterweight: Sam Patterson vs. Trey Waters
- Middleweight: Brad Tavares vs. Robert Bryczek
- Welterweight: Andreas Gustafsson vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
- Strawweight: Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes
UFC Paris offers exciting matchups and showcases both seasoned fighters and rising stars. Fernandes’ bout gains extra intrigue with Hardwick stepping in at short notice.
