Uros Medic knocks out Daniel Rodriguez in 30 seconds at UFC Belgrade and calls out Leon Edwards - 'I think he's still in hiding'
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Published 01/08/2026 at 22:46 GMT+1
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Uros Medic believes Leon Edwards should answer his challenge after delivering one of the biggest performances of his UFC career, destroying Daniel Rodriguez in just 30 seconds in the UFC Belgrade main event on Saturday night.
'I think he's still in hiding' - Emotional Medic calls out Edwards after Belgrade victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
Fighting in front of a passionate home crowd in Serbia, Medic produced another devastating first-round finish to extend his remarkable run of form and immediately turned his attention towards the former UFC welterweight champion.
Returning to his homeland for the first time in nine years, Medic delivered a superb homecoming performance, overwhelming Rodriguez with a devastating left-right combination before forcing referee Jason Herzog to stop the contest after a brutal finishing sequence on the canvas.
The victory not only marked a spectacular main-event win for Medic but also strengthened his growing reputation as one of the UFC welterweight division's most dangerous finishers.
With momentum firmly on his side, the Serbian wasted no time naming the opponents he wants next, targeting two of the division’s biggest names in the aftermath of his latest knockout.
"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," Medic said.
"I asked for Leon Edwards, I think he's still in hiding, but if he decides to come out of the hole he's shoved himself into, I'll gladly be next to knock him out."
Medic's victory was a defining moment on a landmark night for the UFC, with Serbia hosting its first event in promotion history. According to the BBC, Belgrade became the 33rd country to stage a UFC card, and the home crowd was rewarded with a memorable performance from one of their own.
The 33-year-old entered the bout with Rodriguez looking to continue his impressive rise and he needed barely half a minute to underline his credentials.
A perfectly timed left hand stunned the American before a powerful right sent him crashing to the canvas, where Medic continued with strikes until the referee intervened.
It was Medic’s fourth successive first-round victory and improved his professional record to 14 wins and three defeats.
Since joining the UFC, he has won eight of his 11 fights inside the promotion, establishing himself as a fighter capable of ending contests with remarkable speed and power.
Rodriguez, a vastly experienced opponent, was unable to recover from Medic’s explosive opening attack.
The American was competing for the first time since serving an eight-month prison sentence in Mexico for marijuana possession, but his return ended in a brutal defeat.
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Medic takes the adulation from the home crowd
Image credit: Getty Images
For Medic, however, the significance of the victory stretched far beyond another win on his record. The Serbian had spent almost a decade away from home after leaving the country as a young fighter chasing his dream in the United States.
After the fight, an emotional Medic reflected on the journey that brought him back to Serbia and the importance of delivering in front of his home supporters.
"It has been a really rough couple of weeks since I arrived home," he added.
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"It didn't feel like home even though I was on home soil. Now we have got the job done, I just want to cry.
"I missed home so much - nine years is a long time. I left as a student at 22 years old with a dream and look where it got me."
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Daniel RodrĂguez had no answer and lasted just 30 seconds
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Medic then turned his attention back towards the future and his ambitions inside the welterweight division.
He said: "I'm gonna cook the rest of this division. With you guys by my side, we're gonna bring the belt to Serbia."
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