# Uros Medic Makes Quick Work of Daniel Rodriguez with First-Round TKO at Historic UFC Belgrade

**By Rosa Delgado**  \nPublished August 4, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> History was made inside the Belgrade Arena as Uros Medic stopped Daniel Rodriguez in just 30 seconds, headlining the UFC's debut event in Serbia.

When the Ultimate Fighting Championship touched down in Serbia for the very first time on August 1, 2026, local favorite Uros Medic promised an explosive main event at the Belgrade Arena. Stepping into the cage against American veteran Daniel Rodriguez for a high-stakes welterweight clash, Medic did not just deliver an unforgettable moment for the home crowd—he shortened the evening dramatically.

Entering UFC Fight Night 283, both fighters carried considerable momentum into the Octagon, riding matching three-fight winning streaks. Medic, ranked No. 14 in the division, had built his reputation on high-output southpaw pressure and a history of first-round finishes. Rodriguez, checking in at No. 13 with extensive veteran experience, brought volume boxing and a granite chin, looking to cement his standing after an eight-month absence that included a stint in a Mexican prison.

The hostilities at the top of the card were brief but brutal. Medic seized the center of the cage immediately, firing off the first significant strike with a sharp leg kick. Rodriguez quickly answered with a heavy leg kick of his own, testing the foundations of the Serbian contender. But as Medic stepped cleanly into the pocket, he uncorked a devastating left hand that sent Rodriguez crashing to the canvas. Recognizing his opening, Medic swarmed with immediate ground-and-pound, forcing the referee to intervene before the bout had barely begun. The official TKO stoppage arrived at a blistering 0:30 of the very first round.

The rest of the UFC Belgrade preliminary and main cards featured high-drama finishes and pivotal divisional shifts across the board. In the light heavyweight co-main event, former champion Jan Blachowicz faced City Kickboxing prospect Navajo Stirling. In heavyweight action, Aleksandar Rakic clashed with Marcin Tybura, while Dusko Todorovic met Robert Valentin in the middleweight division.

Earlier on the main card, Gilbert Urbina delivered a quick upset at middleweight, finishing Vlasto Cepo via TKO due to punches at 1:01 of the first round after Cepo swung wildly and got dropped. Noah Gugnon secured a flawless victory in the lightweight division, compromising Milos Janicic's leg with a nasty kick before taking the back and sinking in a rear-naked choke at 1:21 of the opening frame.

The preliminary card set an equally ferocious tone. Tofiq Musayev stopped Ludovit Klein via TKO due to punches at 4:07 of Round 2, overcoming a tough challenge from the Slovakian lightweight. Michael Oliveira made a resounding statement in his debut, knocking out Oban Elliott with a counter jab and follow-up right hand at 1:49 of the first round. Borislav Nikolic earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Mark Vologdin across three competitive bantamweight rounds (29-27, 29-27, 29-27). Bogdan Grad picked up a submission win over Dennis Buzukja via an arm-triangle choke at 4:33 of the second round in a bout that sparked late protest from Buzukja. Mateusz Rebecki snapped a skid by overwhelming Kyle Prepolec with relentless ground-and-pound for a first-round TKO at 4:41. Nina Milosevic dazzled the home fans by stopping Hailey Cowan with a brutal body shot at 3:41 of the opening round, mirroring Jovan Leka's explosive liver kick knockout over Alexander Poppeck at 2:22 of Round 1. Stephanie Luciano wrapped up the early action by submitting Marina Spasic via rear-naked choke at 3:20 of the first frame.

For Medic, the 30-second dismantling of a battle-tested veteran like Rodriguez vaults him further into the welterweight conversation. By capitalizing on his patented early-round power in front of a partisan audience, the Serbian contender proved that his striking arsenal translates directly to the highest tiers of the promotion.

## Sources

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