Will Uros Medic continue his surgical run in UFC Belgrade headliner?

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MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at UFC Fight Night 283's main event between Uros Medic and Daniel Rodriguez.

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Uros Medic UFC Fight Night 283 preview

Staple info:

  • Record: 13-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC
  • Height: 6'1" Age: 33 Weight: 170 lbs. Reach: 71"
  • Last fight: Knockout win over Geoff Neal (Feb. 21, 2026)
  • Camp: Brickhouse Boxing Club (California)
  • Stance/striking style: Southpaw/kickboxing
  • Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:

  • + Multiple regional kickboxing accolades
  • + Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt
  • + Judo orange belt
  • + 11 KO victories
  • + 2 submission wins
  • + 10 first-round finishes
  • + KO power
  • + Aggressive pace and pressure
  • + Dangerous left hand
  • ^ Coming forward or off the counter
  • + Dynamic kicking game
  • + Strong inside the clinch
  • + Serviceable grappling ability
  • +/- 2-2 against UFC-level southpaws

Daniel Rodriguez UFC Fight Night 283 preview

Staple info:

  • Record: 20-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC
  • Height: 6'1" Age: 39 Weight: 170 lbs. Reach: 74"
  • Last fight: Decision win over Kevin Holland (July 19, 2025)
  • Camp: 10th Planet Jiu-jitsu (California)
  • Stance/striking style: Southpaw/kickboxing
  • Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

  • + Regional MMA title
  • + Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt
  • + Amateur MMA accolades
  • + 9 KO victories
  • + 4 submission wins
  • + 5 first-round finishes
  • + KO power
  • + Steady pace and pressure
  • + Solid southpaw jab
  • ^ Variates well to the body
  • + Deceptively dangerous left hand
  • ^ Coming forward or off the counter
  • + Strong inside the clinch
  • + Serviceable grappling ability
  • +/- 1-1 against UFC-level southpawas

Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez breakdown: Southpaw vs. southpaw

The main event in Belgrade features a southpaw striker’s delight between Serbia’s Uros Medic and America’s Daniel Rodriguez.

As I always say in southpaw vs. southpaw affairs, perceived striking advantages can be tricky to parse considering the volatility of the stance pairing. Aside from distances being different in open-stance affairs, southpaws can struggle to translate their game given both their preferences and training environments (as most southpaws have predicated their games primarily against orthodox opposition).

Medic and Rodriguez are officially .500 fighters opposite fellow UFC-level lefties, with each carrying their own individual strengths in the stance-pairing.

Rodriguez, who is primarily a boxing-based fighter, still finds play off his jab, varying shots well to the head and body. In fact, Rodriguez arguably has an easier time circling off his jab and walking opponents into power shots when you consider the natural flow of action that closed-stance affairs cause.

Rodriguez also tends to kick a bit more against other southpaws, utilizing inside and outside low kicks alike. That said, I’ll be curious how much the Mexican-American looks to kick, considering the potential counters coming his way.

Enter Medic.

Although Medic has mostly made a name for himself as a do-or-die madman who throws everything but the kitchen sink in the first frame of his fights, the Serbian standout has quietly been sharpening up his skills and offensive approaches during this recent win streak he finds himself on.

No longer feeling the need to immediately rush forward, Medic is content with staging his blitzes and counters on the outside of range – a place where he can exercise his kicking arsenal.

In Medic’s last outing opposite a fellow lefty in Geoff Neal, the 33-year-old Serb smartly stabbed Neal to the body with teeps accompanied by counter-balancing punches. And once Medic was able to stun Neal with a counter, “The Doctor” pounced on his proverbial patient with the levering left-handed assaults he’s known for.

Nevertheless, counter striking, in general, will be a potent two-way street that both fighters will have to navigate.

Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez point of interest: Potential grappling threats

Although Medic and Rodriguez aren’t necessarily known for their grappling, both fighters have been forced to develop competency on the floor in order to compete at the UFC level.

Rodriguez, for example, is a long-time 10th Planet Jiu-jitsu purple belt under Eddie Bravo and has always had some solid front-choke threats in his back pocket. And though “D-Rod” debuted with a guillotine win over Tim Means, the 39-year-old smartly seems to be less reliant on leaning too heavily on it and looking to prioritize position and overall defense instead.

Rodriguez still struggles with adamant takedown attempts, but his defense – both in the open and against the fence – has steadily improved during his UFC tenure.

Whereas Medic, who started off his MMA career by successfully translating his leg dexterity into a couple of triangle choke wins, was eventually forced to treat the floor like it was hot lava.

Strong takedown threats still appear to be a problem for Medic, but he, akin to Rodriguez, has been steadily adding to his sprawling abilities and underhook awareness over recent years.

I don’t expect either fighter to grapple willingly or soberly, but I do give Rodriguez a slight edge if they do.

Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez odds

The oddsmakers and the public strongly favor the Serbian fighter, listing Medic -400 and Rodriguez +300 via FanDuel.

Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez prediction, pick

Although I’m not surprised to see the younger, more active fighter favored to win in this spot, the betting line above is way too wide for my liking.

Aside from the fact that potential glass cannons shouldn’t be favored 4-1 in volatile striking fights, Rodriguez has proven to be a deceptive underdog archetype since the first time he stepped foot inside the octagon.

Moreover, I believe that Rodriguez has the superior lead hand, which is a factor that tends to be a difference-maker in southpaw vs. southpaw fights. And not only does Rodriguez have a solid jab and lead, but he also uses it to go to the body – a tactic that has been effective on Medic in the past.

If Rodriguez knows to come out and pressure out of the gate, then he has the style to make Medic uncomfortable, as well as the counter-strike selections that can make him pay for his aggression.

The potential problem with that, however, is that Rodriguez arguably opens himself up more than Medic does when coming forward (as I believe that Rodriguez does his best work when countering off the back foot). In addition, Rodriguez, who throws wide with his left hand, has a penchant for getting hurt early given that first rounds are traditionally his worst.

Anyone who knows my picking biases knows that I hate picking first-round finishers over more proven products that get better down the stretch, but I suspect that Medic is the side here.

To Medic’s credit, he’s 3-1 in career fights that extend past the first frame. And though I could see Medic losing if Rodriguez is able to draw him into jabbing battles and draw him into an empathic counter, I also can’t help but see the uppercut Medic finished Tim Means with finding a home, considering the short shot that Kevin Holland almost knocked Rodriguez out with in a losing effort.

The official pick is Medic by knockout in Round 1.

Prediction: Medic inside the distance

Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez start time, how to watch

As the main event, Medic and Rodriguez are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 3:35 p.m. ET. The fight streams on Paramount+.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Will Uros Medic continue his surgical run in UFC Belgrade headliner?

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