The UFC lands in Serbia for the very first time on Saturday night, packing a Fight Night card headlined by a welterweight clash between hometown favorite Uros Medic and America’s Daniel Rodriguez.
Medic (13–3, 7–3 UFC) returns home on a three-fight surge — all by first-round knockout in just over a minute — punctuated by a brisk beatdown of Geoff Neal in February. Rodriguez (20–5, 10–4 UFC) has also won three straight bouts, though he’s returning from a year-long layoff after serving an eight-month prison sentence.
Medic enters as a heavy -380 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Rodriguez is a +300 underdog, with the fight total set at O/U 1.5 rounds.
Medic vs. Rodriguez Preview
Uros Medic (#14)
- 13–3 (7–3 UFC)
- 11–1 (T)KO
- 2–2 SUB
“The Doctor” isn’t one for wasting time. Serbia’s own Uros Medic returns to his native country with a 100 percent finish rate and 10 first-round stoppages — eight by knockout or TKO.
The 33-year-old southpaw has been churning out highlight-reel stoppages on the back of his surgical kickboxing, expeditious pressure, and explosive, one-shot power. All seven of Medic’s Octagon wins have come by knockout, including three straight in just over a minute. And in his last trip to the cage, he literally knocked the snot out of welterweight linchpin Geoff Neal.
On Saturday night, Medic will likely push the pace early in an effort to extend this truly dominant run of form.
Daniel Rodriguez (#15)
- 20–5 (10–4 UFC)
- 9–1 (T)KO
- 4–1 SUB
Several factors can sap the momentum from a three-fight heater. The most obvious, of course, is a loss. The second? You guessed it: spending eight months in a Tijuana prison.
Daniel Rodriguez returns after a year away from the cage on Saturday, eager to resume his climb up the 170-pound ladder. But that will be easier said than done. Although he’s won three in a row, there are serious questions surrounding his ability to bounce back at 39 years old — especially given the nature of his hiatus.
And while we’re on the topic, “D-Rod” wasn’t exactly prime Leon Edwards amid the surge. Despite wielding knockout power and a dangerous ground game, the Los Angeles native fought to a split decision with Alex Morono — who has lost six of his last eight — and got dropped in his bout with the inconsistent Kevin Holland. Perhaps most alarming, Rodriguez’s winning streak offset a previous three-fight skid — which featured a first-round TKO loss to Ian Machado Garry. While he might be challenging for the title next month, Garry certainly isn’t known for his stoppage prowess.
Medic vs. Rodriguez Pick, Best Bet
Uros Medic enters Saturday night with a golden opportunity to add to his highlight reel in his backyard. One of the more underrated contenders at 170 pounds, “The Doctor” is well-equipped to dole out some anesthesia to a 39-year-old veteran who has spent the majority of his year-long layoff training with whatever equipment he could find and fueling up on a diet he, himself, has characterized as “super unhealthy.”
Medic holds -250 odds of knocking out Daniel Rodriguez. At plus odds, there’s tantalizing value in backing him to get it done inside the opening round.
