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UFC Beograd LIVE: Rakić, Medić, Janičić – Šokantan Card, Režultati i Prenos!
UFC Makes History in Belgrade: A Beginner’s Guide to Serbia’s First UFC Event
Big News! For the very first time ever, the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) — the biggest MMA organization in the world — held an event right here in Belgrade, Serbia!
What Is the UFC Anyway? (ELI5 Explanation)
Imagine the Olympics of fighting. The UFC is where the best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from around the world come to compete.
MMA means fighters can use:
- Punching (like boxing)
- Kicking (like kickboxing)
- Wrestling (takedowns and control)
- Submissions (chokes and joint locks to make opponent tap out)
Fights happen in an octagon (an 8-sided cage) and usually last 3 rounds of 5 minutes each. Championship fights go 5 rounds.
Event Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | UFC Belgrade (First ever in Serbia!) |
| Location | Belgrade Arena (Beogradska arena) |
| Date | Saturday, August 1, 2026 |
| Prelims Start | 16:00 (4:00 PM) Serbian time |
| Main Card Start | 19:00 (7:00 PM) Serbian time |
| Main Event | ~21:30–22:00 (depends on earlier fights) |
Serbian Fighters to Watch
Our homegrown heroes stepped into the octagon! Here are the Serbian fighters (and friends from the region) on the card:
Main Card (The Big Shows)
- Aleksandar Rakić — Light Heavyweight (up to 93 kg) vs. Marcin Tybura
- Duško Todorović — Middleweight (up to 84 kg) vs. Robert Valentin
- Vlasto Čepo — Middleweight (up to 84 kg) vs. Gilbert Urbina
- Miloš Janjić — Lightweight (up to 70 kg) vs. Noah Gunjon
Main Event Stars
- Uroš Medić — Welterweight (up to 77 kg) vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Fight Results: What Happened?
Early Prelims (Started at 16:00)
| Weight Class | Winner | Loser | How It Ended | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s Strawweight (~52 kg) | Stefani Luciano | Marina Spasić | Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) | Round 1 |
| Heavyweight (~120 kg) | Jovan Leka | Aleksander Popek | KO (Body Kick + Ground Strikes) | Round 1 |
| Women’s Flyweight (~57 kg) | Nikolija Milošević | Hailey Cowan | KO (Body Punches) | Round 1 |
| Lightweight (~70 kg) | Mateusz Rebecki | Kyle Prepolec | TKO (Technical Knockout) | Round 1 |
Fun Fact: Jovan Leka was over 20 kg heavier than his opponent! Leka weighed ~118 kg vs Popek’s 97.5 kg.
Prelims
| Weight Class | Winner | Loser | How It Ended | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Featherweight (~66 kg) | Bogdan Grad | Denis Buzukja | Submission (Head & Arm Choke) | Round 2 |
| Bantamweight (~61 kg) | Borislav Nikolić | Mark Vologdin | Unanimous Decision (29-27 x3) | Round 3 |
| Welterweight (~77 kg) | Michael Oliveira | Oban Elliott | KO (Punch + Ground Strikes) | Round 1 |
| Lightweight (~70 kg) | Tofiq Musayev | Ľudovít Klein | TKO (Punch Combination) | Round 2 |
Star Moment: Borislav "Zombie" Nikolić got knocked down in Round 1, but came back to dominate Rounds 2 & 3! One judge even scored Round 3 as 10-8 (total domination).
Main Card (Results Pending at Time of Writing)
| Weight Class | Fighter 1 | Fighter 2 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welterweight (~77 kg) | Uroš Medić (13-3) | Daniel Rodriguez (20-5) | MAIN EVENT |
| Light Heavyweight (~93 kg) | Jan Błachowicz (29-11-2) | Carlos Ulberg (10-0) | Upcoming |
| Heavyweight (~120 kg) | Aleksandar Rakić (14-6) | Marcin Tybura (27-11) | Upcoming |
| Middleweight (~84 kg) | Duško Todorović (13-6) | Robert Valentin (11-6) | Upcoming |
| Middleweight (~84 kg) | Vlasto Čepo (14-3) | Gilbert Urbina (7-4) | Upcoming |
| Lightweight (~70 kg) | Miloš Janjić (19-3) | Noah Gunjon (9-2) | Upcoming |
Live Blog Highlights (As It Happened)
Note: These are real-time updates from Sport Klub’s live blog during the event.
15:38 — "First Star of the Evening"
Marina Spasić makes history as the first Serbian woman to fight in the UFC!
16:17 — Tough Start for Serbia
Marina Spasić loses via rear-naked choke in Round 1. The crowd goes quiet… but not for long!
16:33 — FIRST SERBIAN WIN!
Jovan Leka destroys Aleksander Popek with a vicious body kick! Popek crumbles, Leka finishes on the ground. KO in Round 1!
Leka after the fight: "I have to respect my opponent. He took this fight on 9 days’ notice against a much heavier guy. That’s brave."
16:52 — NIKOVIĆ KNOCKS OUT HER OPPONENT!
Nikolija Milošević (born in Sweden, fights for Serbia) lands perfect body shots. Hailey Cowan drops. KO in Round 1! Two Serbian finishes in a row!
17:20 — 4th Fight, 4th First-Round Finish!
Mateusz Rebecki stops Kyle Prepolec with strikes. The early prelims are ON FIRE!
17:35 — Controversy & Crowd Heat
Denis Buzukja (Albanian-American) shows double-headed eagle gesture at weigh-ins. Belgrade crowd boos loudly, chants erupt. His opponent Bogdan Grad (Austrian) gets huge cheers.
17:43 — GRAD SUBMITS BUZUKJA!
Bogdan Grad catches Buzukja in a head-and-arm choke in Round 2. Buzukja claims he didn’t tap, but referee stops it. Arena ERUPTS! Grad: "I love you, Serbia! Let’s go!"
18:14 — NIKOLIĆ COMEBACK FOR THE AGES!
Borislav Nikolić gets dropped early by Vologdin’s counter left. But "The Zombie" wakes up!
- Round 1: Loses (10-9)
- Round 2: Wins big, cuts Vologdin open
- Round 3: Total domination (10-8) — nearly finishes with rear-naked choke!
Result: Unanimous Decision 29-27 x3. What a UFC debut!
18:26 — Brazilian "Miracle" KO
Michael Oliveira (UFC debut!) cracks Oban Elliott with a straight right, swarms on ground. TKO Round 1.
18:59 — Musayev Destroys Klein
Tofiq Musayev (Azerbaijan) chops Ľudovít Klein’s legs, then unleashes a right-left-right combo that puts Klein on the canvas. TKO Round 2.
Prelim Stats: 8 fights, 7 finishes, 5 in Round 1! Insane action!
Important Things to Know
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR NEW FANS:
- Finishes > Decisions — A "finish" (KO/TKO/Submission) ends the fight early. A "decision" means it went all 3 rounds and judges decide.
- Weight Classes Matter — Fighters cut weight to compete in specific divisions. Jovan Leka gave up a huge size advantage (20+ kg!).
- The Crowd is Part of the Show — Belgrade brought ENERGY. Chants, boos, cheers — it changes the atmosphere completely.
- Comebacks Happen — Borislav Nikolić got knocked down, then WON. Never count a fighter out until the ref waves it off.
- History Was Made — First UFC in Serbia. First Serbian woman in UFC (Marina Spasić). First Serbian wins (Leka, Milošević, Nikolić). This night goes in the books!
Summary
UFC Belgrade was a historic night for Serbian combat sports!
- First UFC event ever in Serbia — at the massive Belgrade Arena
- Serbian fighters shined — 3 wins on the prelims (Leka, Milošević, Nikolić), all by finish or dominant decision
- Insane action — 7 of 8 prelim fights ended early (5 in Round 1!)
- Crowd was electric — Especially for Bogdan Grad’s win over controversial Denis Buzukja
- Main card still to come — Featuring Uroš Medić, Aleksandar Rakić, Duško Todorović, Vlasto Čepo, and Miloš Janjić
Whether you’re a longtime fight fan or just discovering MMA, this was the perfect introduction — high finishes, dramatic comebacks, national pride, and world-class competition all in one night.
Serbian MMA has officially arrived on the world stage.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
1. What does "tap out" mean?
When a fighter is caught in a choke or joint lock and can’t escape, they tap the opponent or the mat (or verbally submit) to signal "I give up." This stops the fight instantly to prevent injury.
2. Why do fighters weigh in the day before?
Weigh-ins happen ~24 hours before the fight so fighters have time to rehydrate and recover from weight cutting. They must be at or under the weight limit for their division.
3. What’s the difference between KO and TKO?
- KO (Knockout): Fighter is unconscious or completely unable to defend themselves from strikes.
- TKO (Technical Knockout): Fighter is still conscious but taking too much damage and not defending — referee stops it for safety.
4. How do judges score a fight?
10-Point Must System: Winner of round gets 10 points, loser gets 9 or less.
- 10-9 = Close round
- 10-8 = Dominant round (near finish, total control)
- 10-7 = Extremely rare (total destruction)
5. Can I watch UFC events for free?
UFC events are typically on pay-per-view (PPV) or streaming services like UFC Fight Pass / ESPN+ (varies by country). In Serbia, Sport Klub broadcasts events. Check local listings!
Want to relive the action? Check out the full BLOG UŽIVO on Sport Klub’s website for play-by-play updates, videos, and post-fight interviews!
#UFCBelgrade #SerbianMMA #HistoryMade
