Get ready for UFC Fight Night: Medic vs Rodriguez, an MMA event coming to Beogradska Arena in Belgrade on 1 August 2026. Plan your ticket purchase and follow the welterweight main event, the co-main bout and several fighters with strong ties to Serbia and the wider region
UFC Fight Night in Belgrade: the Octagon's first arrival in Serbia
UFC Fight Night in Belgrade brings the first UFC event held in Serbia. On August 1, Belgrade Arena becomes the meeting place for fighters from different parts of the world and several names strongly connected with Serbia and the wider region. The main fight between Uroš Medić and Daniel Rodriguez is not merely an attractive clash of striking styles. It is a match between two ranked welterweights who can take an important step toward the upper part of the division with a victory.
The UFC's current event page shows the preliminary program starting at 16:00 and the main card at 19:00 local time, while the ticket information lists 17:00. Because of the difference between the published schedules, the time on your own ticket and the organizer's latest notice should be checked before departure. The fight card may also change up to the day of the event.
Tickets for this event are in demand. It is worth securing tickets in time, especially for sections with a more direct view of the Octagon.
- Event: UFC Fight Night: Medić vs Rodriguez
- Venue: Belgrade Arena, Bulevar Arsenija Čarnojevića 58, New Belgrade
- Date: August 1, 2026
- Ticket duration: one day
- Main fight: Uroš Medić vs Daniel Rodriguez, welterweight division, five rounds
- Co-main fight: Jan Błachowicz vs Navajo Stirling, light heavyweight division
Why Medić against Rodriguez matters for the welterweight division
Uroš Medić comes to Belgrade with a professional record of 13-3 and a three-fight winning streak. He earned all three victories by stoppage in the first round. Gilbert Urbina and Muslim Salikhov were stopped after 1:03, and Geoff Neal after 1:19 of the first round. That streak shows why the beginning of the main fight is especially important: Medić does not need long to find the distance and space for a decisive attack.
His style is based on precise work on the feet, changes of rhythm and punishing an opponent who remains at middle distance for too long. He often does not waste strikes without reason. He observes reactions, uses feints and accelerates when he recognizes an open line. The key question will be whether he can maintain tactical discipline if Rodriguez survives the early pressure.
Daniel Rodriguez enters with a record of 20-5 and also has three consecutive victories. He defeated Alex Morono by split decision, stopped Santiago Ponzinibbio in the third round and beat Kevin Holland by unanimous decision. Rodriguez has therefore shown that he can remain effective in longer fights, adjust the pace and collect rounds against experienced opponents.
His boxing relies on pressure, a solid stance and the straight left. He does not have to chase the finish constantly. His advantage may be his ability to remain in the fight and force his opponent to work through multiple rounds. If Medić does not find an early stoppage, he will have to show how he manages his energy and responds in the fourth and fifth rounds.
Tactical points worth watching
- First round: Medić's choice of distance and Rodriguez's defense against clean strikes.
- Lead-hand work: who will control the entry into exchanges more effectively.
- Pressure against the fence: Rodriguez can reduce the available space, while Medić will look for an angle to exit and counter.
- Level changes: a takedown attempt can slow down a striker and alter his stance.
- Conditioning: Rodriguez has more experience in longer fights, while Medić's current streak has been built on quick finishes.
Medić has the explosiveness and precision for an early finish, while Rodriguez has the experience and rhythm for a fight that develops gradually. It is precisely this contrast that gives the main event genuine tactical weight.
Co-main fight: former champion's experience against an undefeated challenger
Jan Błachowicz against Navajo Stirling was arranged after a change to the original plan. Błachowicz is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and one of the most experienced fighters on the program. His professional record is 29-11-2. He has no victory in his last four appearances, but during that period he competed against opponents from the top of the division and finished with a draw twice.
Navajo Stirling arrives with a record of 10-0 and five victories in the UFC. His most recent appearance ended with a stoppage against Ion Cuțelaba in the second round. For the City Kickboxing fighter, this is a sudden rise in the quality of opposition and an opportunity to confirm his place among the most interesting new names in the light heavyweight division against a former champion.
Błachowicz brings experience, powerful leg kicks, clinch work and a threat on the ground. Stirling has youth, movement, reach and a kickboxing rhythm. It will be especially important to see how Stirling reacts when his space is taken away. Błachowicz can slow him down with low kicks, the clinch and the threat of a takedown, while Stirling will try to use straight strikes and angle out before the veteran can respond.
Rakić's move to heavyweight against Tybura
Aleksandar Rakić against Marcin Tybura is one of the most tactically interesting fights on the program. Rakić is moving from light heavyweight to heavyweight, so this appearance raises the question of how his speed, footwork and leg kicks will translate against a naturally heavier opponent. Tybura is a ranked UFC heavyweight who knows how to use his mass, the clinch, takedowns and control from the top position.
Rakić will look for open space, faster entries and exits, and strikes that slow Tybura's movement. Tybura will try to reduce the space and test Rakić's takedown defense. The first extended clinch could show how well Rakić has adapted to the physical demands of the new division.
Local and regional interest on the main card
Duško Todorović against Robert Valentin brings a middleweight fight between two competitors who can change the phases of a match. Todorović reached the UFC through Dana White's Contender Series, and in his latest appearance he ended a losing streak with a submission victory against Jose Medina. Valentin can be dangerous in the clinch and on the ground, so it is worth watching who first connects striking combinations with a takedown.
Vlasto Čepo against Gilbert Urbina further increases the audience's interest. Čepo will compete in front of spectators who will recognize his aggressive approach, while Urbina arrives with experience from fights at UFC level. Čepo must avoid allowing the support from the arena to pull him into uncontrolled exchanges, while Urbina will try to slow the pace and force him to work from less comfortable positions.
Seats disappear quickly when a program includes several fighters connected with the city and the region, because the audience does not come only for the main fight. Earlier matches can set the tone for the entire evening, especially when a local or regionally known fighter walks toward the Octagon.
Preliminary program and the latest changes
According to the currently published schedule, the preliminary portion includes the matches Ľudovít Klein vs Tofiq Musayev, Oban Elliott vs Michael Oliveira, Dennis Buzukja vs Bogdan Grad, Mateusz Rębecki vs Kyle Prepolec and Nina Milošević vs Hailey Cowan.
In the bantamweight division, Mark Vologdin was scheduled to compete against Josias Musasa, but Musasa withdrew. Borislav Nikolić, the BRAVE CF champion with a record of 16-2 and a six-fight winning streak, entered the match on short notice. Nikolić will make his UFC debut in front of the audience in Belgrade. Vologdin drew with John Castaneda in his UFC debut, so the match brings together a fighter who has already experienced the UFC pace and a champion from another organization without a full training camp.
Jovan Leka's opponent has also changed. Instead of Max Gimenis, according to the latest announcements, German fighter Alexander Poppeck is expected to compete. Because changes during fight week may continue, the final order and composition of the matches should be checked immediately before arrival.
Preliminary fights are not merely an introduction. For debutants, they are the first test under bright lights and within a strictly defined production rhythm. For the audience, they are an opportunity to see different styles before the ranked fights and to follow the development of the atmosphere in the arena from the beginning.
What a UFC evening looks like from inside the arena
Watching the UFC in the Arena differs from watching a television broadcast. From the audience, it is easier to feel the speed of the entries, the sound of leg kicks, the reaction to a takedown attempt and the change in energy during the fighters' introductions. The production builds through a darkened arena, entrance music and short breaks between matches.
Lower sections provide a closer feeling of the fight, but the Octagon fence and production equipment may occasionally obstruct part of the action. Higher sections provide a clearer view of movement, footwork and tactical positioning. During wrestling and grappling, a view from above often makes it easier to follow hip control, grips and attempts to pass the guard.
The loudest moments do not have to come only during the main fight. The entrances of Uroš Medić, Aleksandar Rakić, Duško Todorović, Vlasto Čepo, Jovan Leka, Nina Milošević or Borislav Nikolić may raise the energy in the arena during the earlier part of the program. That is why it is worthwhile to arrive early enough and not plan to enter only shortly before the main card.
Ticket sales for this event are underway. It is worth planning to arrive with time to spare because of entry checks and the expected crowds around the arena.
Belgrade Arena and practical arrival information
Belgrade Arena is located in New Belgrade, at Bulevar Arsenija Čarnojevića 58. The arena was completed in 2004 and designed for major sports and cultural programs. It has 70 boxes with a total capacity of 860 seats, while the floor configuration changes according to the type of event. For the UFC, the layout will be adapted to the Octagon, production positions and security corridors.
The Arena lists a total of 791 parking spaces in its zones. That is significantly fewer than the number of visitors who may attend a sold-out program, so arriving by car carries the risk of waiting. Public transportation in Belgrade has been free on urban and suburban routes since the beginning of 2025, making buses and trams a practical choice.
- Address: Bulevar Arsenija Čarnojevića 58, New Belgrade
- Parking: the Arena lists 791 spaces; it is sensible to arrive early.
- Public transportation: urban and suburban routes in Belgrade are free for passengers.
- Entry: the Arena generally states that entrances open one to two hours before the start, depending on the program.
- Security check: visitors undergo a security inspection, so unnecessary bags and objects should be avoided.
Visitors arriving from other cities should account for traffic around New Belgrade, especially in the late afternoon. Accommodation in New Belgrade makes the return after the event easier, while staying in the city center requires additional travel time to the Arena.
What to check before departure
The most important check concerns the schedule. The current information is not fully aligned, so visitors should follow the time shown on their ticket and the latest notice for attendees. The composition of the program should then be checked, because opponent changes have already affected the co-main fight, the bantamweight match and Jovan Leka's appearance.
It is advisable to prepare the ticket on the phone before arrival, with a sufficiently charged battery and increased screen brightness for scanning. For a stay lasting several hours, it is useful to arrive rested, dress in layers and agree in advance on a meeting point with companions in case of a weaker mobile signal.
The greatest value comes from following the entire program. The preliminary fights provide context for debutants, the main card brings different styles and weight divisions, and the finale features two important ranked contests. Medić against Rodriguez will answer whether early explosiveness can withstand a five-round test, while Błachowicz against Stirling will show how quickly the undefeated challenger can move from the status of a promising fighter to a serious threat near the top of the division.
Sources:
- UFC - event page, current fight card, ranked fights and the start times of the preliminary and main cards
- UFC - profiles of Uroš Medić, Daniel Rodriguez, Jan Błachowicz and Navajo Stirling, records and previous results
- Belgrade Arena - confirmation of the event, address, facility information, entrances and parking
- MMA Fighting - change of Jan Błachowicz's opponent and Borislav Nikolić entering in place of Josias Musasa
- Sport Klub and Sherdog - change of Jovan Leka's opponent and announcement of Alexander Poppeck's appearance
- Tourist Organization of Belgrade - information about free urban and suburban public transportation