Ultimate Fighting Championship is officially heading to Serbia for the first time.
The promotion announced that UFC Belgrade will take place on Aug. 1 at Belgrade Arena, with hometown contender Uros Medic meeting veteran Daniel Rodriguez in the welterweight main event.
For Serbian MMA fans, the event marks a long-awaited milestone. UFC has expanded aggressively throughout Europe over the last decade, but Serbia has remained one of the notable untapped markets despite producing several high-level fighters now competing on the global stage.
Medic enters the matchup riding the momentum of consecutive first-round finishes and appears to be hitting his stride at exactly the right time. Known for his aggressive striking style and ability to overwhelm opponents early, the Serbian-born welterweight has quickly become one of the division’s more entertaining action fighters. Victories over Geoff Neal, Gilbert Urbina, and Muslim Salikhov have elevated his profile, and a headline win in front of a home crowd could push him even further into the rankings conversation.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, represents a major test of consistency and durability.
The California veteran has quietly built one of the stronger résumés in the division behind sharp boxing, composure under pressure, and an ability to drag opponents into gritty fights. Entering Belgrade on a three-fight winning streak, Rodriguez most recently earned a notable victory over Kevin Holland and now has an opportunity to spoil the UFC’s Serbian debut against one of the country’s fastest-rising stars.
Beyond the main event, the card leans heavily into regional talent while mixing in established veterans and intriguing divisional matchups.
Dusko Todorovic returns to compete in front of a home audience when he faces Switzerland’s Robert Valentin in a middleweight contest. Todorovic has long been considered one of Serbia’s more recognizable UFC names, and the atmosphere inside Belgrade Arena should heavily favor the hometown fighter.
One of the card’s more interesting storylines comes from Aleksandar Rakić, who moves to heavyweight for the first time in his UFC career against veteran Marcin Tybura. Rakić has spent years competing among the UFC’s top light heavyweights, but the move up in weight immediately adds intrigue to an already stacked European heavyweight picture.
Elsewhere, former PFL standout Ante Delija collides with the unpredictable Johnny Walker in another heavyweight matchup that feels almost guaranteed to produce chaos.
The event will also showcase several regional prospects making key career appearances. Serbian heavyweight Jovan Leka makes his UFC debut against Max Gimenis, while fellow Serbian newcomer Vlasto Cepo meets Gilbert Urbina in a middleweight bout.
With a passionate local fan base, multiple Serbian fighters featured prominently, and several high-stakes matchups across the card, UFC Belgrade already feels positioned to become one of the promotion’s standout European events of the year.
UFC Belgrade Fight Card
Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez Dusko Todorovic vs. Robert Valentin Aleksandar Rakić vs. Marcin Tybura Ante Delija vs. Johnny Walker Jovan Leka vs. Max Gimenis Vlasto Cepo vs. Gilbert Urbina