Record-Breaking Night in Serbia Sees Uros Medic Make Short Work of Daniel Rodriguez in 30 Seconds

UFC Serbia sets promotional record as Uros Medic crushes veteran Daniel Rodriguez's dream of getting to winning ways after recent arrest.

Record-Breaking Night in Serbia Sees Uros Medic Make Short Work of Daniel Rodriguez in 30 Seconds

Uros Medic knocks out Daniel Rodriguez (via Instagram)

The UFC officially made history in Serbia with its inaugural event, producing a promotional record of 12 finishes in one night. The card ended with hometown favorite Uros Medic knocking out returning Daniel Rodriguez in just 30 seconds. The emphatic main event finish capped a memorable evening and sent the Belgrade crowd home celebrating the promotion’s successful Serbian debut.

Medic entered the main event riding a three-fight knockout streak, highlighted by his brutal victory over Geoff Neal at UFC Houston. Rodriguez, meanwhile, returned after serving eight months in prison for marijuana possession in Tijuana, Mexico. The matchup marked the veteran’s first UFC appearance since July 2025.

Medic wasted no time imposing himself, pressing forward immediately after the opening bell. He landed a crushing left hand that dropped Rodriguez before following with ground strikes for the stoppage. The official end came just 30 seconds into the opening round, capping a spectacular main event in Belgrade.

The Serbian star has maintained a perfect knockout rate, finishing every professional victory. He has reached the third round only once in his career. Medic owns wins over Muslim Salikhov and Gilbert Urbina. He also earned the $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus against longtime veteran Tim Means at UFC Vegas in 2024.

Interestingly, Rodriguez entered the bout with strong momentum after defeating Kevin Holland at UFC 318. Before that, he had knocked out Santiago Ponzinibbio and earned a victory over Alex Morono via split decision. However, his arrest in Tijuana undoubtedly disrupted that momentum heading into UFC Serbia.

Before defeating Morono, Rodriguez endured a difficult run between late 2022 and mid-2024. During that stretch, he suffered notable losses to Neil Magny and Kelvin Gastelum. He also endured a brutal head-kick knockout against current title challenger Ian Garry at UFC on ABC 4 in 2023.

‘D-Rod’ also faced an anti-doping setback after testing positive for trace amounts of ostarine before his scheduled 2023 bout with Ponzinibbio. The fight was canceled, and he received a suspension. USADA later ruled the positive test resulted from a contaminated supplement and reduced his sanction.

UFC Serbia was groundbreaking, setting modern UFC records with 12 finishes on one card and 10 first-round finishes. Uros Medic’s performance was dominance personified, strengthening his rise as Serbia’s newest UFC star. Ranked No. 14 at welterweight, the victory likely earned ‘The Doctor’ a step up against a top-10 opponent.

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Uros Medic aims for top welterweight stars after dominating at UFC Serbia

The UFC welterweight division is overflowing with elite contenders, creating one of the deepest title pictures. Brazilian star Carlos Prates has emerged as a standout after knocking out Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth. The victory cemented him as the No. 1 welterweight in the UFC Media rankings.

Before knocking out JDM, Prates had already made a major statement by stopping former champion Leon Edwards at UFC 322. Edwards is currently on a three-fight losing streak after losing the welterweight title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304. The setback marked a difficult period for the former 170-pound champion.

Uros Medic
Uros Medic (via MMA Mania)

After his UFC Serbia knockout of Daniel Rodriguez, Uros Medic was filled with excitement following the victory. He thanked the home crowd for their massive support. When Michael Bisping asked about his next fight, Medic targeted Prates or a chance to hand Edwards a consecutive knockout loss.

Listen there’s guys I’d love to fight like Carlos Prates, he’s way ahead of me in the division but that would be a fight to remember. I asked for Leon Edwards, I think he’s still in hiding. If he decides to come out of the hole he shoved himself into, I’ll gladly be next to knock him out.

Uros Medic via UFC Belgrade octgaon interview

A fight against Edwards appears more realistic for the Serbian, as Prates is currently waiting for the winner of Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Garry at UFC 330.

The Brazilian knockout artist is expected to pursue the undisputed welterweight title next. A matchup with ‘Rocky’ would give Uros Medic a major opportunity to break into the division’s elite.

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