The UFC held its first event in Serbia, with local fighter Uros Medic delivering a dominant performance in the opening seconds of his welterweight bout against Daniel Rodriguez. Medic, competing in his homeland for the first time in nine years after relocating to the United States for training, dispatched the 39-year-old American with a quick left-right combination followed by finishing strikes on the canvas. Referee Jason Herzog stopped the action at the 30-second mark, marking Medic’s fourth successive first-round victory and improving his overall record to 14 wins and three defeats.
The 33-year-old fighter expressed emotional gratification following his victory, reflecting on his journey away from home and the weight of representing his country. Medic referenced his departure as a 22-year-old student with aspirations and credited the win as validation of his decision to pursue fighting in the United States. He subsequently called out ranked contenders in the welterweight division, specifically mentioning number 14-ranked Leon Edwards and top contender Carlos Prates as potential future opponents.
The Belgrade card itself made history within the UFC organization. Serbia became the 33rd country to host a UFC event, and the night set multiple records including 10 first-round finishes overall and 12 finishes across all bouts. These marks represented new highs for UFC events.
In another bout on the card, Welsh fighter Oban Elliott suffered his third consecutive loss to Brazilian debutant Michael Oliveira. Elliott was dropped twice during the opening round before Oliveira secured victory via ground and pound approaching the two-minute mark. Oliveira improved his undefeated professional record to 10 wins, while Elliott’s defeat raised questions regarding his future status with the organization. Elliott, 28, has compiled three victories and three losses since earning his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series.
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