Uros Medic Blitzes Rodriguez in 30 Seconds, Wants Leon Edwards Next
Medic's 30-second finish in Belgrade stretched his win streak to five straight first-round KOs. Now he's calling out a former champion.
By FightSplit Editorial Team · Published Aug 1, 2026

Uros Medic didn't need a full minute in front of his home crowd. The Serbian welterweight flattened Daniel Rodriguez in 30 seconds flat to headline UFC Belgrade, landing a quick left hand and dropping a right behind it that sent Rodriguez to the canvas before referee Jason Herzog jumped in. It's the fifth straight win of Medic's UFC run — and every single one has come by first-round knockout.
That kind of consistency is rare at 170 pounds. Rodriguez, who entered ranked #15 and sitting on a unanimous-decision win over Kevin Holland, drops to 20-5 with the loss. Medic, meanwhile, has turned himself into one of the most reliable finishers in the division, and he did it on the biggest stage of his career so far.
The finish itself was clinical. Medic looked calm from the opening bell, stepped in behind the left, and had the right hand already loaded. Once it connected, Rodriguez was done. Medic followed him down and unloaded until Herzog had seen enough.
What He Said After
The moment clearly got to Medic. He told the crowd it had been a rough couple of weeks since arriving, that he hadn't felt at home even on home soil, and that finishing the job left him wanting to cry. He then promised to "cook" the rest of the division and vowed to bring a UFC belt back to Serbia.
As for what's next, Medic doubled down on a name he's been chasing. He said he'd asked for Leon Edwards before, accused the former champion of hiding, and offered to knock him out whenever Edwards resurfaces. He also floated a dream matchup with #2-ranked Carlos Prates — who's fresh off a third-round TKO of Jack Della Maddalena — while admitting Prates sits well ahead of him in the pecking order.
The math is starting to work in Medic's favor. Five first-round knockouts in a row is the sort of streak that forces the matchmakers' hand. Whether it's Edwards, Prates, or another name entirely, he's earned a step up. Beat a former champ and the title conversation isn't a call-out anymore — it's a reality.
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