Uroš Medić vs Daniel Rodriguez 1 August 2026 Prediction

Two entertaining strikers will meet in the main event of the UFC’s first card in Serbia. Uroš Medić is a kickboxer who has never gone to a decision and has won seven of his 10 fights in the promotion.

Daniel Rodriguez was once viewed as a promising contender but has not fully met those expectations. He has performed well against opponents outside the elite level but has regularly struggled against ranked competition. Can Medić deliver a home victory, or will the American pull off the upset?

Uroš Medić

Medić entered Dana White’s Contender Series on a five-fight winning streak and earned a UFC contract with a first-round knockout. He repeated that result in his promotional debut, stopping an opponent with an 8-3 record. Medić then suffered a submission loss to the dangerous Jalin Turner. The Serbian alternated wins and losses after that setback but has recently produced the best run of his career, recording three consecutive finishes.

Medić is a technical striker with strong boxing. He uses jabs, straight punches, hooks, overhands, and uppercuts, along with a varied kicking game designed to slow his opponents. He is particularly dangerous at mid-range and in close exchanges. His defensive striking is a major concern, however, as he absorbs too many clean shots. Medić has excellent cardio, but his takedown defense is much less reliable.

Daniel Rodriguez

Rodriguez made an excellent start in the UFC with three consecutive wins, but an unexpected loss to Nicolas Dalby significantly slowed his progress. The American has also lost to Neil Magny, Ian Machado Garry, and Kelvin Gastelum. He currently enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak after defeating Alex Morono by decision, knocking out Santiago Ponzinibbio, and beating Kevin Holland.

Rodriguez is a striker who prefers to work at mid-range, where he uses low kicks and body kicks. He regularly throws combinations built around the jab, straight right, and hooks. Rodriguez has considerable power but only average endurance.

Titles: SG welterweight champion (2019)

Notable Fights

Uroš Medić: has performed well against veterans and opponents close to the rankings. His most notable wins came against Tim Means, Matthew Semelsberger, Gilbert Urbina, Muslim Salikhov, and Geoff Neal. He lost to Punahele Soriano, Myktybek Orolbai, and Jalin Turner.

Daniel Rodriguez: defeated Tim Means, Mike Perry, Kevin Lee, Santiago Ponzinibbio, and Kevin Holland. He lost to Nicolas Dalby, Neil Magny, Ian Machado Garry, and Kelvin Gastelum.

Stats and Trends

• Medić lands 5.59 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 3.42. Rodriguez lands 7.20 but absorbs 5.40. The American’s defensive numbers are a major concern against a powerful finisher such as Medić.
• None of Medić’s 16 fights has reached the judges’ scorecards. Rodriguez has recorded a stoppage in 15 of his 25 fights. The fight not to go the distance is the preferred option.

Uroš Medić vs Daniel Rodriguez Prediction: Medić by First-Round Knockout

Medić is the favorite, and that assessment appears justified. The Serbian is in excellent form, will have the support of the home crowd, and has the power to stop high-level opposition. Rodriguez is significantly older, has looked slower in recent fights, and continues to absorb too many strikes. The pick is Uroš Medić to win by first-round knockout at 2.22.