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Stars Emerge at UFC Belgrade

Originally posted on Lindy's Sports | By Adam Martin | Last updated Aug 3, 2026 10:32 AM ET

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The UFC made its debut in Serbia on Saturday, August 1, at UFC Belgrade, and the event was absolutely electric.

With 10 first-round finishes, the event set a UFC record for the most finishes in the first round. Given that the UFC has been around since 1993, that shows just how exciting this event was, as fans are always looking for explosive knockouts and slick submissions.

Moreover, these finishes were delivered by a slew of international fighters, as the UFC saw several new stars emerge at the landmark UFC Belgrade event.

Uros Medic KOs Daniel Rodriguez in UFC Belgrade Headliner

The headliner of UFC Belgrade saw Serbia's very own Uros Medic put on an absolutely incredible show for his hometown fans, as he knocked out Daniel Rodriguez in just 30 seconds.

Medic has now won four straight fights by first-round knockout. While he was inconsistent during his first few years in the UFC, he has really come on strong as of late, and he looks like someone who could fight for the UFC welterweight title in the next year or two if he keeps up his winning ways.

For his next fight, Medic used his post-fight interview to call out former UFC champion Leon Edwards in what would be a terrific fight for both him and the fans.

Whenever you knock people out, especially in just 30 seconds, you get to call your shot, so let's see if the UFC matchmakers like this fight, too, and decide to book it next.

Uros Medic was the star of the show at UFC Belgrade in his native Serbia.Ed Mulholland / Getty Images

Navajo Stirling is a Brand New Light Heavyweight Contender

In the co-main event, New Zealand's Navajo Stirling broke through and became a UFC light heavyweight contender with a brutal first-round knockout over former UFC champion Jan Blachowicz.

Just 28 years old, Stirling is now 11-0 in his MMA career, and 6-0 in the UFC alone since beginning his career in the promotion in 2024.

Not only did he beat Blachowicz, but he knocked him out, so this is the kind of victory that should get Stirling a significant step up in competition for his next fight.

Following his big win, Stirling called out both Khalil Rountree Jr. and Paulo Costa for his next fight, and there is a good chance that the UFC matchmakers give him what he wants and book him against either of those two veteran strikers for his next outing.

Navajo Stirling brutally knocked out Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade.Ed Mulholland / Getty Images

Other International Stars Emerged at UFC Belgrade

In addition to Medic and Stirling, several other new international MMA stars emerged at UFC Belgrade.

In the welterweight division, Michael Oliveira defeated Oban Elliott via first-round knockout in his UFC debut.

A former paratrooper in the Brazilian army, the 28-year-old Oliveira looks the part with his ripped muscles, and he acts it inside the Octagon, too. With the impressive win over Elliott, Oliveira moved to 10-0 in his MMA career with nine knockout wins, and he figures to get a big step up in competition as the UFC might fast-track him up the 170 lbs ladder.

Another fighter to keep your eye on is women's bantamweight Nina Milosevic. The Serbian knocked out Hailey Cowan in the first round with a brutal punch to the body, earning a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus in her UFC debut. She is now 9-1 in her MMA career with six finishes, and could also be fast-tracked in a weak division.

Nina Milosevic looks like the real deal in the UFC women's bantamweight division.Ed Mulholland / Getty Images

Finally, don't forget about heavyweight Jovan Leka. Just 24 years old, the Serbian finished Alexander Poppeck with a liver kick in his UFC debut. With a 14-2 MMA record, including all of his wins coming by stoppage, Leka looks like someone who will be sticking around the UFC heavyweight division for many years to come.

Overall, UFC Belgrade was an absolutely tremendous card. There were knockouts and submissions galore, a bunch of new fighters made big impressions in their debuts, and the UFC found out that it has a new market that is rabid for MMA.

With that in mind, look for the UFC to make Serbia an annual market following this highly successful debut event.

This article first appeared on Lindy's Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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