Medic Stuns Rodriguez in 30 Seconds at UFC's First Belgrade Card

Uros Medic marked his return to Serbia with a dominant performance, stopping Daniel Rodriguez in the opening round of UFC's first event in Belgrade. The 33-year-old, who left for the United States as a 22-year-old student to pursue his fighting dream, needed only 30 seconds to dispose of his opponent.

Medic dropped the 39-year-old Rodriguez with a left-right combination and then forced referee Jason Herzog to intervene with a flurry of kicks and punches on the ground. Rodriguez was making his first appearance after spending eight months in a Mexican prison on a marijuana possession charge.

The finish was Medic's fourth consecutive first-round victory, improving his professional record to 14 wins and three defeats. Serbia became the 33rd country to host a UFC event, and Medic was at the center of a record-breaking night in Belgrade. The card produced 10 first-round finishes, a new UFC record, while 12 stoppages overall also set a new benchmark.

An emotional Medic admitted that the weeks leading up to the fight had been challenging, despite being on home soil for the first time in nine years. "I missed home so much — nine years is a long time," he said, adding that he wanted to cry after getting the job done.

Ranked 14th in the welterweight division, Medic immediately turned his attention to top contenders, calling out Birmingham's Leon Edwards and number-one contender Carlos Prates. "Carlos Prates is way ahead of me, but this would be a fight to remember," Medic said. "I asked for Leon Edwards — I think he is still in hiding, but if he decides to come out of the hole, I would be glad to knock him out."