UFC Belgrade had all the action anyone could have wanted and the atmosphere at the Belgrade Arena felt special. In the main event, Uros Medic delighted the hometown fans as he smashed through American Daniel Rodriguez in just 30 seconds. That was the eighth stoppage win of the event. If you didn’t get up early enough to catch the action. Let’s talk UFC Belgrade.
- Event: UFC Fight Night 283, Medić vs. Rodriguez, Aug. 1, 2026
- Venue: Belgrade Arena, Belgrade, Serbia — the promotion’s first event in the country
Record: Most first-round finishes and most total finishes on a single card in UFC history
Main event: Uros Medic def. Daniel Rodriguez, TKO, 0:30, R1
Streaming: Paramount+, prelims 10 a.m. ET, main card 1 p.m. ET
Bonuses: Pending
Event: UFC Fight Night 283, Medić vs. Rodriguez, Aug. 1, 2026
Venue: Belgrade Arena, Belgrade, Serbia — the promotion’s first event in the country
Record: Most first-round finishes and most total finishes on a single card in UFC history
Main event: Uros Medic def. Daniel Rodriguez, TKO, 0:30, R1
Streaming: Paramount+, prelims 10 a.m. ET, main card 1 p.m. ET
Rodriguez opened with a hard low kick that swept Medic to a knee. Medic climbed back up, got loose with his hands and landed a left that sent Rodriguez to the canvas. He followed him down and finished it there at 30 seconds, with the Belgrade crowd in hysterics. It’s now four straight first-round stoppages for “The Doctor.”
Medic is an absolute star. He has an entire country behind him and he’s fluent in English. He gets it and knows how to flip the switch from humble to trash talker. Most importantly, his style is pleasing to watch to any combat sports fan. He’s a real one.
He entered at 13-3 overall and 7-3 in the UFC, every one of those seven wins by stoppage. He has never seen a judge’s scorecard across 16 professional fights. The Geoff Neal, Muslim Salikhov and Gilbert Urbina finishes that earned him this main event slot took less than four minutes combined.
Beyond Medic’s smashing victory in the main event, a few fighters made significant statements. Stirling’s first-round TKO win over former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz came on short notice, and it may have fast-tracked the New Zealander into title contention at 205 pounds.
Stirling finished it at 2:56 of the first with punches and elbows. He took the fight after Blachowicz’s original opponent, Bogdan Guskov, was moved to UFC Abu Dhabi, arriving unbeaten in five UFC starts at 28 years old and just over a month removed from his win against Ion Cutelaba on June 20.
Rakic’s unanimous-decision win over Marcin Tybura gave the Serbian a huge win in front of his hometown fans. The fight was also Rakic’s heavyweight debut, so he may now have new life in a new division after a tough run at light heavyweight.
All three judges scored it 30-27, and it was the only decision win on the main card. Rakic had lost four straight at light heavyweight before moving up.
The biggest underdog on the card to capture a win was Gilbert Urbina. He was a plus-270 dog, but stopped Vlasto Cepo in just 61 seconds.
Cepo stalked from the center and staggered Urbina with an overhand right, then pinned him to the fence and punched wildly. They reset. Urbina floored him with a counter jab, settled into side control and let fly with punches and elbows until the referee stepped in.
Michael Oliveira looks like he could be heard from at 170 pounds. He finished Oban Elliott in under two minutes.
- Uros Medic def. Daniel Rodriguez via TKO (punches), 0:30, R1
Navajo Stirling def. Jan Błachowicz via TKO (punches and elbows), 2:56, R1
Aleksandar Rakic def. Marcin Tybura via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Robert Valentin def. Dusko Todorovic via submission (guillotine choke), 4:14, R1
Gilbert Urbina def. Vlasto Cepo via TKO (punches and elbows), 1:01, R1
Noah Gugnon def. Milos Janicic via submission (rear-naked choke), 1:21, R1
Uros Medic def. Daniel Rodriguez via TKO (punches), 0:30, R1
Navajo Stirling def. Jan Błachowicz via TKO (punches and elbows), 2:56, R1
Aleksandar Rakic def. Marcin Tybura via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Robert Valentin def. Dusko Todorovic via submission (guillotine choke), 4:14, R1
Gilbert Urbina def. Vlasto Cepo via TKO (punches and elbows), 1:01, R1
Noah Gugnon def. Milos Janicic via submission (rear-naked choke), 1:21, R1
- Tofiq Musayev def. Ludovit Klein via TKO (punches), 4:07, R2
Michael Oliveira def. Oban Elliott via KO (punches), 1:49, R1
Borislav Nikolic def. Mark Vologdin via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Bogdan Grad def. Dennis Buzukja via submission (arm-triangle choke), 4:33, R2
Mateusz Rebecki def. Kyle Prepolec via TKO (punches), 4:41, R1
Nina Milosevic def. Hailey Cowan via TKO (punch to the body), 3:41, R1
Jovan Leka def. Alexander Poppeck via TKO, 2:22, R1
Stephanie Luciano def. Marina Spasic via submission (rear-naked choke), 3:30, R1
Tofiq Musayev def. Ludovit Klein via TKO (punches), 4:07, R2
Michael Oliveira def. Oban Elliott via KO (punches), 1:49, R1
Borislav Nikolic def. Mark Vologdin via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Bogdan Grad def. Dennis Buzukja via submission (arm-triangle choke), 4:33, R2
Mateusz Rebecki def. Kyle Prepolec via TKO (punches), 4:41, R1
Nina Milosevic def. Hailey Cowan via TKO (punch to the body), 3:41, R1
Jovan Leka def. Alexander Poppeck via TKO, 2:22, R1
Stephanie Luciano def. Marina Spasic via submission (rear-naked choke), 3:30, R1
Medic, Urbina, Stirling and Nina Milosevic took home the $100K bonuses for Performances of th4e Night. Everyone else who won by stoppage got an additional $25K.
On a card with this many finishes, the bonus pool is the story. Medic’s February win over Geoff Neal earned him a $100,000 Performance of the Night check, and a 30-second finish in his first main event made him a lock to repeat it. Urbina’s 61-second stoppage as a plus-270 underdog and Oliveira’s debut knockout both had cases, but only Urbina got the nod. Official scorecards are posted at UFC.com.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
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