The UFC’s debut event in Serbia more than lived up to the hype, producing one of the most finish-heavy cards in promotional history. A staggering 12 of the 14 fights ended inside the distance, giving the event an 85.7% finish rate and breaking the modern UFC record of 11 stoppages previously shared by UFC 224 and UFC 281.
The card also featured 10 first-round finishes, shattering the all-time single-event record of eight. The fireworks extended to the top of the card, where hometown favorite Uros Medic delivered the fastest finish of the night with a devastating 30-second knockout of Daniel Rodriguez in the main event.
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Both men opened with hard low kicks before Rodriguez stepped forward behind a jab. Medic instantly countered with a crushing overhand left that rocked “D-Rod,” then followed it with a thunderous right hand that sent the American crashing to the canvas. Rodriguez’s high guard offered little protection as Medic swarmed with heavy ground-and-pound, forcing referee Jason Herzog to step in just 30 seconds into the opening round.
The emphatic victory marked Medic’s fifth straight win, with every victory during that streak coming by first-round knockout. After the stoppage, an emotional Medic soaked in the moment as the Belgrade crowd erupted into chants of his name.
He said, “It’s been a really rough couple of weeks since I arrived. I couldn’t feel like home even though I was on home soil. Now we got the job done and I just want to cry. I missed home so much. I’m going to cook the rest of this division. With you guys by my side, we are going to bring the belt to Serbia!”
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With the victory, Medic also made it clear he has bigger names in mind for his next outing. Having already called for former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards after knocking out Geoff Neal in his previous fight, Medic doubled down while also mentioning another top contender.
The Serbian added, “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.”
No matter who is next, Medic has clearly announced himself as a real player at 170lbs and if he can continue his winning ways, a shot at the gold is not too far in the future.
Jan Blachowicz Remains Winless in Five Straight UFC Fights After Navajo Sterling Knockout
The co-main event also delivered a shocking finish as former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz took on Navajo Stirling in a short-notice clash at 205 pounds. Unfortunately for the Polish veteran, the night quickly turned into a nightmare.
Stirling started the fight by chopping away at Blachowicz’s lead leg with heavy low kicks, looking to lure the former champion into overcommitting. Blachowicz had early success, though, catching the Kiwi with a crisp left hook that briefly buckled Stirling’s knees.
The momentum shift didn’t last long. After recovering, Stirling returned to picking Blachowicz apart from range with sharp jabs and punishing leg kicks before suddenly stepping in with a perfectly timed one-two that dropped the former champion to the canvas. With Blachowicz badly hurt and bloodied, Stirling wasted no time unloading vicious elbows and heavy punches from the top, forcing the referee to step in and wave off the contest.
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The statement victory is easily the biggest of Stirling’s young UFC career and firmly establishes the New Zealander as a legitimate contender in the light heavyweight division. As for Blachowicz, the loss leaves the 43-year-old without a victory in his last five fights, a stretch that includes three defeats and two draws.
Given both the nature of the stoppage and where he is in his career, questions will inevitably be asked about whether fans have seen the former champion compete inside the Octagon for the final time.
UFC Belgrade: Full Main Card Results
- Uros Medic beat Daniel Rodriguez via KO (punch) – Round 1, 0:30
- Navajo Stirling beat Jan Blachowicz via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:56
- Aleksandar Rakic beat Marcin Tybura via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Robert Valentin beat Dusko Todorovic via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 4:14
- Gilbert Urbina beat Vlasto Cepo via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:01
- Noah Gugnon beat Milos Janicic via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:21
UFC Belgrade: Full Prelims Card Results
- Tofiq Musayev beat Ludovit Klein via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:07
- Michael Oliveira beat Oban Elliott via KO (punches) – Round 1, 1:49
- Borislav Nikolic beat Mark Vologdin via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
- Bogdan Grad beat Dennis Buzukja via submission (arm-triangle) – Round 2, 4:33
- Mateusz Rebecki beat Kyle Prepolec via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 1, 4:41
- Nina Milosevic beat Hailey Cowan via TKO (body shot) – Round 1, 3:41
- Jovan Leka beat Alexander Poppeck via TKO (liver kick) – Round 1, 2:22
- Stephanie Luciano beat Marina Spasic via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:20
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
