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Fighters on the Rise | UFC Belgrade
Identifying Three Ascending Names To Watch This Weekend in Belgrade, Serbia
There have been eight international events so far this year in the UFC, including last weekend’s stop in Abu Dhabi. Over the course of those events, competitors spotlighted in Fighters on the Rise have gone a combined 21-1, with two athletes — Allan Nascimento and Islam Dulatov — getting scratched before they could step into the Octagon to compete.
Some might call it luck. Others may suggest that I’m selecting athletes in favorable matchups that are expected to win. Few will chalk it up to an ability to identify talent. I would suggest it’s a combination of all three, given that international events tend to provide showcase opportunities for rising talent, especially from the host nation or region, but that going 21-for-22 takes some kind of eye for upside, given how many variables are at play in an MMA bout.
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This weekend, as the Octagon lands in Belgrade, Serbia for the first time, we’ll try to keep the international hot streak going by providing you with one familiar name and two newcomers that feel poised to make some noise on Saturday.
Here’s a closer look at this week’s Fighters on the Rise.
Navajo Stirling
Navajo Stirling Finishes Ion Cutelaba In Round 2 | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi
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Navajo Stirling Finishes Ion Cutelaba In Round 2 | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi
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Stirling raised his hand to replace Bogdan Guskov when the Uzbek fighter was shuffled into the main event against Magomed Ankalaev last weekend at Etihad Arena. Now, the City Kickboxing man makes his third start of the year, stepping in against former champ Jan Błachowicz with a chance to catapult himself into the thick of the title conversation in the 205-pound weight class.
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The Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8 grad had a good first year on the roster, going 3-0 with decision wins over Tuco Tokkos, Ivan Erslan, and Rodolfo Bellato to advance to 8-0 and position himself as a reasonable prospect in the light heavyweight division. But his first two starts of 2026 have ratcheted things up a notch, as Stirling collected second-round stoppage wins over Bruno Lopes and Ion Cutelaba, showing greater confidence and urgency in keeping things out of the hands of the judges.
Like most who come through CKB, the 28-year-old kickboxer has razor-sharp fundamentals and a keen understanding of how to manage distance. He moves well, doesn’t rush his attacks, and benefits from being surrounded by a host of elite training partners and outstanding coaches. But it’s the increased belief in his weapons and ability to compete on this level that has really elevated Stirling’s standing heading into this one.
Navajo Stirling: 'I'm Here To Be A Glitch In The Matrix' | UFC Belgrade
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Navajo Stirling: 'I'm Here To Be A Glitch In The Matrix' | UFC Belgrade
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Błachowicz is one of the most accomplished fighters in the division — a former champion and respected veteran who defeated Stirling’s longtime teammate Israel Adesanya when “The Last Stylebender” tried to earn “Double Champ” status and has the skills and savvy to do the same to Stirling this weekend. The interesting wrinkle, however, is that the Polish veteran hasn’t won since his May 2022 victory over Aleksandar Rakić in a fight that ended as a result of an injury to the Austrian, and this just might be the perfect time for Stirling to try and topple the former titleholder.
This is a considerable step up in competition for Stirling and a short-notice opportunity as well, but one that carries significant upside. He’s outside of the top 10 in both the Meta and media rankings, and while a win may not change things in the former, it should elevate him into the title mix in the latter, if he’s able to secure it on Saturday.
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Nina Milošević
One of the criteria I tend to look for when selecting athletes for this series each week is whether they have the opportunity to stand out in a division that is in need of fresh faces, and there might not be a division that is begging for that more than the women’s bantamweight ranks, which is why Milošević is worth keeping an eye on this weekend. The 29-year-old arrives in the UFC with an 8-1 record, having lost her debut before rattling off eight consecutive wins, and is paired off with American Hailey Cowan. Born in Sweden but proudly representing Serbia throughout her entire life, “Queen Beast” has been bodying the competition on the regional circuit on the way to her debut this weekend, posting five finishes in eight victories, four of those coming in the first round.
Now, the standard caveat applies even more heavily than usual here: Milošević hasn’t been facing particularly experienced talent, so getting a true read on her abilities is a little challenging, but she’s consistently handling her business without issue and trains under respected coach Renato Subotic, which adds to the reasons for intrigue.
Cowan is a good first dance partner because while she’s struggled inside the Octagon, the Contender Series grad has far more experience than anyone Milošević has faced to date; she trains with a great group at Xtreme Couture, and she’ll have both a height and reach advantage heading into this one, which could work in her favor.
A few new names are working their way forward in the bantamweight division at the moment, but the number of fresh faces compared to other weight classes is significantly less, which means a fighter like Milošević has a chance to make a quicker climb up the rankings if she’s able to string together a few solid wins.
But first things first: getting through Cowan this weekend.
Jovan Leka
Of the handful of competitors who earned wins but not contracts last season on Dana White’s Contender Series, Leka was near the top of the list of fighters I thought should have been signed.
The now 24-year-old heavyweight scored a unanimous decision win over Azamat Nuftillaev, who entered with a 13-1-1 record, and while it didn’t set the world on fire, there aren’t exactly a wealth of UFC-ready heavyweights south of 25 roaming around these days. In the six months after his win in Las Vegas, Leka made himself undeniable by registering a pair of first-round finishes earlier this year, including an April win over fellow DWCS contestant Danilo Suzart.
Now, the 13-2 prospect from Novi Sad is set to make his promotional debut on Saturday opposite another former DWCS combatant, Alexander Poppeck.
Leka is a unit, standing six-foot-five and using every bit of the 265-pound heavyweight limit. He has earned six straight wins, has finished 11 of his 13 victories, and profiles as the kind of raw talent you bring into the fold and allow to grow and develop while competing on the big stage. Heavyweight is flush with new names and emerging talents at the moment, so there is no reason to rush the newcomer along.
Originally scheduled to face Max Gimenis, Leka now meets Poppeck instead. The German veteran competed on the third season of the annual talent-search series, losing to eventual light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill, but has had a ton of success since, posting a 12-2 record and five consecutive wins heading into this one, and should be a solid test for the young debutant.
Leka gives me “Martin Buday with more athleticism and upside” vibes, and before anyone groans, just remember, Buday went 7-1 in the UFC, and winning seven of eight inside the Octagon is impressive, regardless of how sleep-inducing some of those efforts may have been. This is a long-term prospect investment, and his future shouldn’t be decided by how he performs this weekend.
UFC Fight Night: Medić vs Rodriguez took place live from Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia on August 1, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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