When the UFC touches down in Serbia for the first time on Saturday, no fighter will carry the weight of the moment quite like Uros Medic.
The Serbian welterweight not only gets the opportunity to compete in front of his home fans for the first UFC event in the country’s history, but he’ll do so in his first career UFC main event against veteran Daniel Rodriguez.
“We got to give credit to the MMA Federation of Serbia. They’ve been working hard to get this going. It’s not me, like oh I made this happen. It was all them. I was at the right place at the right time,” Medic told reporters on Wednesday.
“I’ve honestly tried to help make things kind of go smoother. I’m happy. I think Serbia deserves this.”
While Medic is focused on his own opportunity, he believes UFC Serbia is about something much bigger than one fight. He sees the event as the beginning of a new era for MMA in the region, one that could produce future champions and prove Serbia deserves a permanent place on the UFC calendar.
“We have a lot of talent here. There’s going to be only more to come. We expect a champion from this region. I am 100% certain that in near future we’re going to see one,” he said.
“Fans will be pleasantly surprised with how fun and exciting UFC is to watch live. UFC will be pleasantly surprised with the fans in Serbia and people that show up to see the fight. I’ve been treated so good by everyone wherever I showed up. The whole country is buzzing from this event happening. It’s pretty exciting.”
Fighting in front of a home crowd for the first UFC event in Serbian history adds another layer of significance for Medic, even if he insists he approaches every fight with the same mindset. While the spotlight will be brighter than ever, “The Doctor” says his focus remains on delivering a performance worthy of the moment.
“I don’t think it changes much for me. When I step in the octagon I am the man of the hour. Every time I fight, I try to make it look like a main event, I give it my best. I give it my all. Shoot for the best possible performance, for the best possible interview, for the best possible entertainment,” he said.
“I love the fans. They come to watch. This is what it’s all about.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Uros Medic above. He faces Daniel Rodriguez in the main event of UFC Belgrade on Saturday.
