UFC 304 is packed with incredible fights, rising British contenders & plotlines. One that might be flying under your radar is Nathaniel Wood. He fights in the featured prelim against Daniel Pineda. “The Prospect” is returning to action after a controversial loss to Muhammad Naimov last October. That fight was fought with controversy as Naimov hit foul after foul without consequence. Safe to say Wood wants to bounce back in style.
Hailing from Morden, Wood is described by Great Britain Top Team as a “True London Boy” and a “First generation trained MMA Fighter”. He was inspired with Kickboxing in his early years, but through the leadership of his father dived into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of 16. After a short ammeteur career in 2012 Nathaniel Wood debuted in the pro ranks with a win in 2013. Wood quickly rose through the British regional scene and fought in BAMMA, UCMMA, Bellator and Cage Warriors. He found his him in Cage Warriors in 2017 and captured the bantamweight title in his second fight. He would go on to make 2 defences before being called up to the UFC in 2018.
Nathaniel Wood in the UFC
Debuting in 2018 Nathaniel Wood made an impressive start with a second-round submission finish of Johnny Eduardo. He would continue to submit his opponents in his next 2 fights and establish himself as a prospect to be excited about in the bantamweight division. The win streak would end however at the hands of John Dobson.
Nathaniel bounced back later in 2020 with a decision win over John Castaneda, looking to keep active he took a fight against the dangerous Casey Kenney at UFC 254. He would lose this bout by unanimous decision. This loss would trigger 2 years of cancelled bouts. Keen to make up for lost time Wood would fight 3 times from July 2022 to July 2023 and pick up 3 big wins.
This period would prove incredibly fruitful for Wood moving up to 145 proved to be a great decision. Beginning with Charles Rosa in London, Nathaniel would show his striking levels in an impressive performance in his hometown. Further impressive wins would follow over Charles Jourdain & Andre Fili. The Fili one in particular is singled out as one of Woods’s most entertaining fights and best performances. Most recently, despite a good performance Wood lost a controversial unanimous decision against Muhammad Naimov at UFC 294
That brings us to UFC 304, Wood takes place as the featured prelim on a stacked card in Manchester.
Wood an Open Book
A huge part of Nathanial Woods’s personality is his open and honest nature. The mental health perils of elite-level sport can take their toll on everyone, and Wood has been incredibly honest in sharing his experiences over the years. In our exclusive interview with the prospect he opened up about his challenges:
“I do feel now that I’ve got it down to a tee, I had a day the other day where I woke up and was not really feeling it. I was thinking S**t here we go, back into a dark place. 2 hours and I was good, I used all the tricks that I have done. I walked the dog, ring my wife at work and say here’s what I’m worried about and she clears the air for me and I was good”
Wood also offered some advice on the subject “Anyone that’s dealing with s***, talk to someone man. it will always seem easier once you’ve spoken to someone, who knows what they’re talking about“
Another important note on this fight is that Nathaniel has become a father in the run-up to this fight. As we’ve seen in the past with the likes of Donald Cerrone & Max Holloway the father mindset can play an important part in the development of a fighter.
On he subject Nathaniel commented at media day “It feels good, more pressure. I don’t feel like I’m fighting for me any more, I’m fighting for my daughter. But what motivation to have behind me, If i wasn’t motivated enough as it is I’m definitely motivated now. It brings a new fire inside me.”
Can the Prospect Become a Contender?
With a big sport on the card, this fight represents a huge opportunity for Nathaniel at 145 pounds. Being 3-1 in the weight class it feels as though Wood is on the cusp of fighting for a ranking and above. This fight represents an opportunity to show his unique and well-rounded skillset to a mass audience. Considering the opposition that Pienda has had, it looks as though it’s ready for the taking for “The Prospect.”
Nathaniel Wood puts good respect on Pineda “He’s tough as old boots, he’s a veteran. I know that I’m going to need to put him out to finish him. I expect him to be very durable. What I see from his fights is that he gasses a lot, so maybe that’s why he’s not winning decisions as much. I’m confident with my skillset that I can go and get the job done.”
Potential Future Fun
If we’re to look forward there are some very exciting matchups for Wood in the top 15 of the division. Striking matchups such as Edson Barboza, Dan Ige or Giga Chikadze (who fights on the main card) all represent mouthwatering clashes. There is the ongoing beef between Wood & Lerone Murphy, however with Murphys recent surge in the division that fight might have to wait until both are in the top 10.
Overall, it’s undoubted that Wood can be come a contender in the 145 division and he’ll bring a lot of excitement to the rankings. As Wood himself said “I need to put my money where my mouth is”. That phrase comes with a deeper meaning not only for fight night at 304 but also for consistency in his career. Wood is very capable of going on impressive winning runs, and can certainly do so again as he looks to gatecrash the top 15.
