Fares Ziam out, Cage Warriors champion Harry Hardwick in for UFC Paris debut

There has been a late change to the fight card for UFC Paris, with one of the best fighters in Europe set to make his Octagon debut on short notice.

French lightweight Fares Ziam has been forced to withdraw from his bout with Kaue Fernandes due to personal reasons, but any concerns from the Fernandes camp were quickly eased with the news that UFC matchmakers have moved swiftly to secure a replacement.

Fernandes will now take on Cage Warriors featherweight champion Harry Hardwick, who has signed with the UFC and will step in on short notice – and step up a weight class – to face Fernandes on Saturday night at Accor Arena.

🚨 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Harry Hardwick makes his Octagon debut on 4 days' notice at #UFCParis 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/fdfdGp2tjH
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 2, 2025

A former 150-pound champion for Shooto Brasil and three-fight LFA veteran Fernandes signed with the UFC in late 2023 and made his debut in a losing effort against England’s Marc Diakiese at UFC Sao Paulo.

Fernandes bounced back with a first-round TKO finish of Mohammad Yayha in at UFC Abu Dhabi in August 2024, then continued that winning form with a unanimous decision victory over Georgia’s Guram Kurateladze at UFC London in March 2025. Now he’s set for his fourth Octagon appearance as he looks to complete a hat-trick of UFC wins.

Standing in his way is Harry “Houdini” Hardwick, who joins the UFC on an eight-fight unbeaten streak (seven wins, one draw) that saw him capture the Cage Warriors featherweight title and defend it twice.

OFFICIAL‼️ Harry Hardwick makes his UFC debut this Saturday at #UFCParis 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/VE8LpXjACg
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) September 2, 2025

Hardwick, the brother of former Cage Warriors lightweight champion and Dana White’s Contender Series competitor George Hardwick, has finished three of his last four fights, and claimed knockout victories in two of his last three outings. Now he steps in on less than one week’s notice to make his UFC debut at 155 pounds.