Uros Medic couldn’t have scripted a better night in front of his home crowd. Headlining the UFC’s first-ever card in Serbia, ‘The Doctor’ took only 30 seconds to stop veteran welterweight Daniel Rodriguez before shifting his focus to two of the division’s biggest names.
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‘D-Rod’ barely had time to settle into the fight before Uros Medic unleashed a precise three-punch combination that left him shaken. A follow-up knee knocked the American to the ground, where Medic delivered a soccer kick to the body before unleashing a volley of punches that forced the referee to step in and wave off the fight. So, it was no surprise that after improving his record with the biggest win of his UFC career, ‘The Doctor’ grabbed the microphone and made it clear he wasn’t planning on slowing down.
“I have so many words; I don’t think we have enough time tonight,” Medic said in the post-fight interview. “With that being said, I’m gonna cook the rest of this division.
“With you guys by my side, we’re going to bring the belt to Serbia!”
He then named the two fighters he wants next, calling out both Carlos Prates and former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, adding that Edwards was “still hiding.”
And while the win was splendid to say the least, the aforementioned soccer kick to Rodriguez’s body sparked plenty of discussion among viewers who weren’t sure about the rules. “Hey experts, is it legal?!” one fan asked.
Others quickly clarified the rule. “Soccer kicks and knees to the body of a grounded opponent are always legal, just not the head,” one user replied. Another added, “No kicks or knees to the head of a downed opponent, but the body is fair game.”
The performance immediately had fans buzzing online, with many praising both the finish and the atmosphere inside Belgrade Arena. “That’s about as perfect as a start gets. No judges. No controversy,” one fan wrote.
Another joked, “Surgery completed in 30 seconds. The doctor has got some speed.”
Fans also had plenty of fun with Medic’s nickname. “Call a Medic… BUT NOT FOR ME!!! What a win for Uros Medic!!” one user tweeted. Another summed up the moment by writing, “UROS MEDIC GETS IT DONE IN SERBIA’S TIME OF NEED! NASTY FIRST ROUND EASY TKO WIN OVER RODRIGUEZ!”
The crowd also received plenty of praise. “The Serbian public is awesome. I haven’t seen someone get a reception like this in a while. Good for Uros Medic,” one fan commented.
Others focused on how dangerous Medic has become early in fights. “Uros might be the most dangerous first-minute fighter in the UFC,” one fan wrote. Another added, “Medic dispatches Rodriguez in just 30 seconds as he receives a king’s ovation in his home country. He is dynamite.”
And well, this dynamite surely delivered in this explosive event that saw 12 fights reaching their end before needing the judges’ scorecards, creating history as the UFC card with the most finishes, dethroning the twelve-year-long record held by UFC Fight Night: Luke Rockhold vs. Michael Bisping back in 2014, which had 11 finishes.
Now, Uros Medic will look forward to continuing his 4-fight winning streak with a win over Carlos Prates, as the UFC Belgrade callout didn’t just come out of nowhere.
Uros Medic had already set his sights on Carlos Prates
Right before UFC Belgrade, ‘The Doctor’ had already expressed his desire for a future fight with Carlos Prates, believing that their styles would result in one of the most entertaining fights in the division.
“I would love to cross paths with Carlos Prates at some point,” Medic told Full Send MMA. “That man is a true samurai warrior; he comes to fight, and he will die, you know. I think people would be surprised about how well I would do against him because I’m the type of fighter who meets fire with fire.
“You’ve seen what happens when fighters back out from Carlos; he just knocks them out. If you’re gonna back out and be timid, he will finish you in the matter of minutes, but I’m not the type of fighter that would back out, even if that means going out on my shield, but I don’t think that would happen.”
Uros Medic also revealed he has believed for years that he has the tools needed to beat ‘The Nightmare.’
“Before I signed with the UFC, I watched these guys and thought I could fight these guys, and I have the same feelings about him,” he added. “I’m like, I can knock this guy out.
“If that presents itself, I think it’d be a fight to remember forever.”
However, it is unclear whether that matchup will take place next. Carlos Prates is widely expected to enter title contention after a three-fight winning streak, while Medic has extended his own momentum with the greatest win of his career in front of a home crowd in Belgrade.
So maybe he will have to settle for Leon Edwards next, who sits at the 8th spot in the rankings and isn’t booked to fight. In fact, Edwards’ original 2026 was actually set to be the one ‘The Doctor’ fought tonight against Daniel Rodriguez, as ‘Rocky’ declined the fight and it fell on the lap of Uros Medic instead.
Now, with a 30-round finish and title contention in sight, a clash between Leon Edwards and ‘The Doctor’ is sure to shoot at least one of the two much closer to the welterweight throne.
