Daniel Rodriguez prepares for main event at UFC Belgrade after prison stint

Daniel Rodriguez headlines UFC Belgrade in enemy territory

BELGRADE, SERBIA - JULY 30: (L-R) Opponents Uros Medic of Serbia and Daniel Rodriguez face off during the UFC Fight Night press conference at Belgrade Arena on July 30, 2026 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Daniel Rodriguez says Uros Medic can have an opinion about his recent imprisonment in Mexico, but he plans on teaching Medic a lesson this weekend. Rodriguez returns to action for the first time since his release from a Mexican prison after an eight-month stint to face Medic in the main event of UFC Belgrade. Ahead of the matchup, Medic told MMA Fighting that Rodriguez’s situation was “unfortunate,” but it also puts a “stain on all of” the UFC and MMA fighters, and that he’s going out there to hurt his co-headliner. Rodriguez was asked to react to Medic’s words. “I mean, he could try to hurt me,” Rodriguez told MMA Fighting. “We’re two different individuals, you know what I mean? He definitely grew up in a different situation than I have, so his mentality is very different than mine. Aside from being a great martial artist, he’s never been through the shit that I’ve been through in my life. So for him to say that I represent whatever he said is like, OK, that’s how you feel. “But everybody makes mistakes. No one’s perfect. You never know, he don’t ever know. He could be in a messed up situation one day. So come Saturday, I definitely feel like I’m gonna make him eat his words.” Both fighters have a lot of similarities. Not only are they entering the main event welterweight tilt on three-fight win streaks, but they also hoped to face former champion Leon Edwards after their most recent victories. Rodriguez defeated Kevin Holland in a wild brawl at UFC 318 a year ago, while Medic destroyed Geoff Neal at UFC Houston in just over a minute in their matchup in February. Medic believes a win could get him his wish for a fight with Edwards, and Rodriguez would be more than happy to get that opportunity. “It’s a great matchup,” Rodriguez said. “Initially that’s the matchup that we wanted and we wanted to fight in Los Angeles, which is coming up in a few [weeks], but the UFC was very persistent on making this matchup and I think they did a great matchup for [the] UFC coming to Serbia for the first time. They got two bangers, two aggressive style fighters. “I think he might be underestimating me. I have some of the best striking in the game. Very underrated. But I do hold the most strikes landed per minute in UFC’s welterweight division history. So, come Saturday, I mean, I’m definitely gonna put him to the test. He’s never really made it out of the first round. Either he gets finished or he’s finishing someone, and I definitely don’t see myself getting finished.”

Uros Medic isn’t showing any sympathy towards his UFC Belgrade main event opponent Daniel Rodriguez after Rodriguez was jailed in Mexico.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 19: Daniel Rodriguez reacts after a victory against Kevin Holland in a welterweight bout during the UFC 318 event at Smoothie King Center on July 19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) Daniel Rodriguez has had a crazy year, and now he gets to return to doing what he loves most when he faces Uros Medic in the main event of UFC Belgrade this Saturday. “Man, I’m super excited,” Rodriguez told MMA Fighting. “I’m feeling very grateful and fortunate to be here, man. It’s been a long road and I’m excited to fight on Saturday.” In April, Rodriguez was released from a Mexican jail after being imprisoned for eight months due to an arrest at the border when he was caught in possession of marijuana. “D-Rod” gets a massive opportunity riding a three-fight win streak, including a decision win over Kevin Holland a year ago in a wild battle at UFC 318. Rodriguez was asked if he had doubts he’d ever fight again while sitting behind bars. “Yeah, man, 100 percent,” Rodriguez said. “There was a moment in time where I wasn’t sure if I was going to get out and be able to continue my career. They wanted to actually give me a couple years, man, and if that was the case, I knew for sure my career was over. “It was an emotional roller coaster in there, especially coming off a huge win, the biggest win of my life, and then to be thrown in a jail cell and not knowing, what was going to happen was definitely super stressful. But there was a small part of me that told me like, things were going to work out, and that’s what kept me motivated to train, and to continue to work out and try to do anything possible to stay in shape. I just had faith that I’d be able to do this. And sure enough, and now I’m headlining the UFC event. It’s a dream come true, man.” The 39-year-old got a late start in the game as he didn’t step into his first MMA gym until he was 25. He parlayed that into a 10-4 record in 14 octagon appearances, which also includes wins over Mike Perry and Kevin Lee, while getting valuable experience along the way. Rodriguez learned even more about himself while in prison, and now sees things in a much different way. “I’m a survivor, man,” Rodriguez explained. “I can overcome any situation that you could throw at me. If I could take anything from that experience is just loving life and living a life to its utmost potential. I’m grateful to be here and I’m lucky. Man, I’m lucky. “I was in there with people that are never getting out, and it made me appreciate my life so much more. And I’m here now, and days away from one of the biggest fights in my life and I come out with the victory this Saturday, and I’m going to start trying to pitch my story to Hollywood, man. They need to make a movie out of this, bro.” Medic gets the hometown headline spot as he attempts to play spoiler to Rodriguez’s comeback story. “The Doctor” is also riding a three-fight win streak, finishing all of his opponents in the first round. In his most recent outing, Medic destroyed perennial welterweight contender Geoff Neal in just 79 seconds. Rodriguez has been through much worse than being the away team in a UFC fight, which is why he believes getting his hand raised will be as memorable a moment as he’s ever experienced. “When I get my hand raised, I don’t really know how I’m going to feel,” Rodriguez said. “I’m just going to know that I’ve been through a lot this past year, and it’s been ups and downs. And to go out there and get my hand raised on Saturday, man, it’s definitely going to be like my greatest victory ever. Just for the fact that I came back, and the feeling that I have right now, it’s a great feeling. “Because when I first got out of jail, I was struggling, man. It was so hard to get back into shape and I just trusted all the hard work that was ahead of me and I knew that I was going to be able to get back in shape. And sure enough, man, I just bit down on my mouthguard, man and just trusted the process and getting my hand raised on Saturday is going to make it all come together, man. “This whole process, it’s been a battle, man. And I’m grateful to be here and I can’t wait to go out there on Saturday and just put my heart out on the line again, man.”

Daniel Rodriguez faces Uros Medic this Saturday

UFC headliner Daniel Rodriguez spent much of the past year in a Mexican prison, and couldn't be happier with how things have turned around.