Daniel “D-Rod” Rodriguez (20-5) will headline UFC Belgrade on August 1, 2026 against Uros Medic (13-3) in a welterweight fight. Rodriguez returns for his first bout after being imprisoned in Mexico for marijuana trafficking charges, following his arrest after weed was found in his vehicle while crossing from the U.S. into Mexico. Before his absence, Rodriguez won three straight fights, including a unanimous decision win over Kevin Holland in July. Despite the time away, Rodriguez remains ranked #15 in the UFC welterweight division. Medic has risen to #13 and enters on a three-fight win streak, including a February knockout of Geoff Neal that earned Performance of the Night. The card also includes Ante Delija vs. Johnny Walker, Marcin Tybura vs. Aleksandar Rakić, Vlasto Čepo vs. Gilbert Urbina, Jovan Leka vs. Max Gimenis, and Duško Todorović vs. Robert Valentin.
"Promotion officials announced on Monday that Daniel “D-Rod” Rodriguez (20-5) would return at the August 1, 2026 Fight Night event, where he'll headline opposite Serbia's own Uros Medic (13-3) in a welterweight fight."
"For Rodriguez, it's the first fight back following a lengthy ordeal that saw him stuck inside a Mexican prison due to marijuana trafficking charges. That ordeal saw Rodriguez imprisoned for the better part of a year, after being found with weed in his vehicle while crossing into Mexico from the U.S. Now, he gets to pick up where he left off, on a streak that saw him beat three straight."
"During D-Rod's time away, Uros Medic has managed to ascend to #13 in the welterweight division, and rides a three-fight win streak of his own. All three of those wins came subsequent to Rodriguez's last action; most recently, Medic knocked out Geoff Neal in February, earning a Performance of the Night bonus in the process."
"Most recently, Rodriguez won a unanimous decision over Kevin Holland last July. Despite his time out of action, Daniel Rodriguez remains ranked #15 in the UFC's 170lb weight class."
Read at Cageside Press
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