UFC Belgrade Picks: Best Bets for UFC’s First Event in Serbia

It’s time for another international UFC Fight Night event, and for the first time in history, the Octagon touches down in Serbia with UFC Belgrade.

The main event will feature rising welterweight Uros Medic, a Serbian native, taking on Daniel Rodriguez.

Medic is 7-3 in the UFC and has won three straight and four of his last five fights – with all five ending via first-round KO/TKO. In fact, in his current win streak, all finishes have come in under 90 seconds. Rodriguez has also won his last three fights, most recently scoring a decision over Kevin Holland at UFC 318 last year.

The co-main event will feature former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in action against Navajo Stirling. Blachowicz is 0-2-2 in his last four, most recently battling Bogdan Guskov to a draw at UFC 323. Stirling is a perfect 10-0 in MMA, including a 5-0 UFC record since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. He most recently fought at UFC Vegas 119 in June, finishing Ion Cutelaba.

The rest of the main card will include Aleksandar Rakic vs. Marcin Tybura, Dusko Todorovic vs. Robert Valentin, Vlasto Cepo vs. Gilbert Urbina, and Milos Janicic vs. Noah Gugnon.

UROS MEDIC VS DANIEL RODRIGUEZ

This fight is what we call a striker’s paradise. The UFC is looking to make a solid first impression in the country for its inaugural Serbian event. They’re doing that by putting a rising name like Medic, a hometown hero with a knack for fast starts and finishing, against a talented, ranked fighter in D-Rod, who has great, crisp boxing of his own.

Medic is going to look to push the pace early, potentially blitzing D-Rod, and try to pressure him into a mistake. As mentioned, however, Rodriguez has great jabs and counter-striking. If Medic goes in too quick and wild, there’s the potential D-Rod catches him with something. And the longer the fight goes, the more his punching volume can give problems.

D-Rod has a solid chin, but Medic has a lot of momentum.

BET: Medic to win via KO/TKO in Rounds 1 or 2 (FanDuel: -150)

JAN BLACHOWICZ VS NAVAJO STIRLING

Blachowicz is still ranked at light heavyweight and has the championship experience. At 43 and having not won in four straight fights, however, he desperately needs a win to maintain any relevancy. With Stirling at 10-0 and looking to elevate himself more in a division that needs new stars, this feels like a matchup designed to give an up-and-comer a win over a noteworthy name on their resume.

Stirling will match up well against Blachowicz in terms of size. For Blachowicz, success might come down to making this a dirty-boxing style matchup where he closes distance and gets inside to do damage. And you never know just when the Polish power might come out. The speed, volume, range management, and kickboxing of Stirling, however, will present a challenge for the elder veteran fighter.

It comes down to who can make it their kind of fight.

BET: Stirling via decision (FanDuel: +105)

DUSKO TODOROVIC VS ROBERT VALENTIN

Though in differing circumstances, both men here are coming in off a victory after enduring three-fight losing skids. Todorovic also suffered an injury in one of his fights. Valentin, meanwhile, fell short in his TUF finale fight with Ryan Loder and struggled in bouts with Torrez Finney and Ateba Gautier. Both need a win to keep newfound momentum going.

For Todorovic, this comes down to precision, pressure, and takedowns. Valentin can be especially dangerous on the feet, but Loder handled him well on the mat. It may be the place for best success. Valentin, meanwhile, will look to use his own pressure and power to force exchanges and try to draw Todorovic into making defensive lapses.

BET: Valentin to win via KO/TKO OR submission (DraftKings: -120)