Daniel Rodriguez fires back at Uros Medic ahead of UFC Belgrade. Daniel Rodriguez has responded to recent comments made by his UFC Belgrade opponent, Uros Medic, making it clear that he plans to settle the score inside the Octagon.
The war of words began after Medic criticized Rodriguez’s eight-month imprisonment in Mexico, saying the situation “puts a stain on all of our names” as professional fighters. While Medic acknowledged that people can make mistakes, he insisted he had no sympathy once the cage door closed. Rodriguez, however, wasn’t offended by the remarks. Instead, he suggested that Medic simply doesn’t understand the circumstances because the two have lived very different lives.
“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 doesn’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.” 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 matmatchup,r [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.”
For Rodriguez, Saturday’s main event represented more than just another fight. After spending eight months in a Mexican prison before returning to the UFC, he viewed the opportunity to headline the promotion’s first-ever event. Serbia as another chapter in his remarkable comeback story. With emotions running high and both men carrying three-fight winning streaks into the contest, the verbal exchanges only added more intrigue to what was already one of the most anticipated fights on the UFC Belgrade card.
