Jovan Leka Makes UFC Debut at Home in Belgrade, and Nerves Aren't Invited

Jovan Leka doesn't do nerves. The 23-year-old Serbian heavyweight makes his UFC debut Saturday at Belgrade Arena, and he insists there's simply no room in his head for anxiety — his logic being that you either can control something or you can't, so worrying is pointless either way. It's a settled attitude for a kid stepping onto the sport's biggest stage in front of his own crowd.

The road here was anything but smooth. Leka beat Uzbekistan's Azamat Nuftillaev by unanimous decision on Season 9 of the Contender Series last October — yet he was the only one of six winners that night left without a UFC contract. Rather than sulk, he went back to work: a first-round submission under the BRAVE CF banner in February, then a second-round TKO of fellow DWCS veteran Danilo Suzart in April. That pushed his record to 13-2 (7 KO, 4 SUB) and stretched his win streak to six.

A Late Switch Across the Weight Divide

The opponent has changed. Leka was originally booked against Max Gimenis, but an injury forced the Brazilian out and Alexander Poppeck stepped in. That's a real shift — Poppeck is a 34-year-old natural light heavyweight who has gone 12-2 since dropping his DWCS Season 3 bout to future champ Jamahal Hill. He arrives in Belgrade on a five-fight winning streak, carrying a 21-5 overall mark with 13 knockouts.

Leka laughed off the swap, calling Poppeck the complete opposite of what he'd prepared for. His read: short notice cuts both ways, so there's no space for clever game plans. He expects a raw, instinct-driven fight — glove touch, then business. He gave Poppeck full respect as the more experienced man, but promised he'd grind out the win and immediately ask the UFC for another booking.

Fighting Is in the DNA

Leka leans hard into the idea that fighting is baked into the Serbian character, pointing to generations shaped by war. He talked about being a dreamer who has watched Bruce Buffer for years, and reckons the walkout announcement will send him sky-high rather than rattle him. If he could, he'd turn around and fight again five weeks later in Las Vegas.

As for celebrations, he's not making any. Leka said he refuses to plan past the fight — he doesn't like to tempt fate, preferring to walk in ready to leave everything inside the cage. UFC Fight Night: Medić vs. Rodriguez runs live from Belgrade Arena on August 1, with prelims at 10am ET and the main card at 1pm ET on Paramount+.