Medić Knocks Out Rodriguez in 29 Seconds
Historic first UFC event in Serbia delivers spectacular wins for local fighters, with Croatian heavyweight Ivan Vitasović supporting in Rakić's corner.
Historic first UFC event in Serbia delivers spectacular wins for local fighters, with Croatian heavyweight Ivan Vitasović supporting in Rakić's corner.
The UFC's debut in Belgrade was marked by local fighters who put on a spectacular show in front of a packed Belgrade Arena. The main event of the evening ended in a flash, with Uroš Medić knocking out Daniel Rodriguez in just 29 seconds, while Aleksandar Rakić successfully returned to winning ways after five years and four consecutive losses.
Uroš Medić, also known by the nickname "The Doctor," was greeted with the sounds of "Vidovdan" and a standing ovation. The welterweight bout lasted just 29 seconds, as the Serbian fighter landed a hook and a straight right, dropping Rodriguez to the canvas and following up with a barrage of strikes that forced referee Jason Herzog to step in and stop the fight. The arena erupted in celebration, and Medić celebrated his victory in tears.
"I missed home so much; nine years is a long time. I left as a student, I was 22 years old, I had a dream, and look where it has brought me. With you by my side, we will bring the belt to Serbia!", an emotional Medić said after the fight, as reported by 24sata Sport.
This was Medić's fourth consecutive win, all by first-round knockout, and his eighth victory in the UFC. Ranked 14th in the welterweight division, he has set his sights on the top of the category and called out Carlos Prates as his next opponent, according to Index.hr Sport.
Aleksandar Rakić recorded his first win since his bout with Thiago Santos, making his heavyweight debut against Poland's Marcin Tybura. After three rounds of dominance, all three judges scored the fight 30-27 in favor of the Serbian fighter. Interestingly, Croatian heavyweight Ivan Vitasović stood in Rakić's corner as support, as reported by Telegram.hr.
At the post-fight press conference, Rakić didn't hide his relief: "Finally. After five years, I'm at a press conference as a winner. So much pressure has been lifted off my shoulders. It was really tough for me. I've proven to myself that I'm a legitimate heavyweight," he said to Kurir.rs.
He particularly highlighted the benefits of moving up to heavyweight: "I had 80 percent less stress. I've been cutting weight for 20 years. I feel great at heavyweight. For the last two or three years, I haven't had any issues with strength, and I'm from the Balkans. We eat sarma, and that's our superpower."
The big surprise of the night came from New Zealander Navajo Stirling, who defeated former light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz via technical knockout in the first round of the co-main event. Stirling, who stepped in as a late replacement, confirmed his status as an undefeated fighter and a major talent.
The rest of the evening was not successful for other regional fighters. Duško Todorović lost to Robert Valentin via submission (rear-naked choke) in the first round, while Slovak-Serbian fighter Vlasto Čepo was defeated by technical knockout against Gilbert Urbina just one minute into the fight. Čepo entered the UFC with a professional record of 14-4, but Urbina capitalized on his open style with precise counter-striking.
In the preliminary bouts, victories were secured by Borislav Nikolić, Jovan Leka, and Nina Milošević, while Miloš Janičić and Marina Spasić were defeated.
According to UFC Streaming TG, Daniel Rodriguez returned to the main event after serving an eight-month prison sentence in Mexico. Both fighters entered the main event on three-fight winning streaks, with Medić defeating Geoff Neal at UFC Houston and Rodriguez beating Kevin Holland at UFC 318.
