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UFC Belgrade Picks: Best Bets for UFC’s First Event in Serbia
Dana White source: AP It’s time for another international UFC Fight Night event, and for the first time in history, the Octagon touches down in Serbia with UFC Belgrade.
The main event will feature rising welterweight Uros Medic, a Serbian native, taking on Daniel Rodriguez.
Medic is 7-3 in the UFC and has won three straight and four of his last five fights – with all five ending via first-round KO/TKO. In fact, in his current win streak, all finishes have come in under 90 seconds. Rodriguez has also won his last three fights, most recently scoring a decision over Kevin Holland at UFC 318 last year.
The co-main event will feature former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in action against Navajo Stirling. Blachowicz is 0-2-2 in his last four, most recently battling Bogdan Guskov to a draw at UFC 323. Stirling is a perfect 10-0 in MMA, including a 5-0 UFC record since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. He most recently fought at UFC Vegas 119 in June, finishing Ion Cutelaba.
The rest of the main card will include Aleksandar Rakic vs. Marcin Tybura, Dusko Todorovic vs. Robert Valentin, Vlasto Cepo vs. Gilbert Urbina, and Milos Janicic vs. Noah Gugnon.
UROS MEDIC VS DANIEL RODRIGUEZ
This fight is what we call a striker’s paradise. The UFC is looking to make a solid first impression in the country for its inaugural Serbian event. They’re doing that by putting a rising name like Medic, a hometown hero with a knack for fast starts and finishing, against a talented, ranked fighter in D-Rod, who has great, crisp boxing of his own.
Medic is going to look to push the pace early, potentially blitzing D-Rod, and try to pressure him into a mistake. As mentioned, however, Rodriguez has great jabs and counter-striking. If Medic goes in too quick and wild, there’s the potential D-Rod catches him with something. And the longer the fight goes, the more his punching volume can give problems.
D-Rod has a solid chin, but Medic has a lot of momentum.
BET: Medic to win via KO/TKO in Rounds 1 or 2 (FanDuel: -150)
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JAN BLACHOWICZ VS NAVAJO STIRLING
Blachowicz is still ranked at light heavyweight and has the championship experience. At 43 and having not won in four straight fights, however, he desperately needs a win to maintain any relevancy. With Stirling at 10-0 and looking to elevate himself more in a division that needs new stars, this feels like a matchup designed to give an up-and-comer a win over a noteworthy name on their resume.
Stirling will match up well against Blachowicz in terms of size. For Blachowicz, success might come down to making this a dirty-boxing style matchup where he closes distance and gets inside to do damage. And you never know just when the Polish power might come out. The speed, volume, range management, and kickboxing of Stirling, however, will present a challenge for the elder veteran fighter.
It comes down to who can make it their kind of fight.
BET: Stirling via decision (FanDuel: +105)
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DUSKO TODOROVIC VS ROBERT VALENTIN
Though in differing circumstances, both men here are coming in off a victory after enduring three-fight losing skids. Todorovic also suffered an injury in one of his fights. Valentin, meanwhile, fell short in his TUF finale fight with Ryan Loder and struggled in bouts with Torrez Finney and Ateba Gautier. Both need a win to keep newfound momentum going.
For Todorovic, this comes down to precision, pressure, and takedowns. Valentin can be especially dangerous on the feet, but Loder handled him well on the mat. It may be the place for best success. Valentin, meanwhile, will look to use his own pressure and power to force exchanges and try to draw Todorovic into making defensive lapses.
BET: Valentin to win via KO/TKO OR submission (DraftKings: -120)
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Sports
Pirates acquire veteran RHP Camilo Doval from Yankees
May 27, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday in exchange for two prospects.
Doval, 29, is 3-1 with one save and a 4.54 ERA in 44 appearances out of the New York bullpen this season. The Pirates were seeking late-game relief help.
The Yankees received catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz in the deal. New York also included cash as part of the trade.
New York acquired Doval, a former All-Star closer, in a deal with the San Francisco Giants at last year’s trade deadline.
Doval is 29-20 with 109 saves and a 3.53 ERA in 341 career relief outings with the Giants (2021-25) and Yankees. He tied for the National League lead with 39 saves in 2023 when he made the NL All-Star team.
Alfonzo, 22, was batting .238 with nine homers and 35 RBIs in 62 games this season, including 60 for Double-A Altoona.
Cruz, 18, was batting .300 with eight RBIs and eight steals in 19 games for the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League affiliate.
The MLB trade deadline is Monday at 6 p.m. ET.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Blazers sign F Jeremy Sochan to one-year contract
Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan (20) runs up court after a basket during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Portland Trail Blazers forward Jeremy Sochan agreed to a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, per ESPN.
Sochan was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
Across three-plus seasons with the Spurs, he averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 212 games (149 starts). He shot 46.8% from the field and 28.7% from 3-point range.
He was waived by the Spurs in February. He then signed with the New York Knicks.
The 23-year-old only appeared in 16 regular season games for the Knicks, averaging a meager 6.9 minutes per game. In that limited run, he averaged 2.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists, while shooting 56.7% from the field.
During the postseason, he appeared in eight games during the team’s championship run, playing 26 total minutes and averaging 2.5 points.
Now, the former lottery pick will look to earn a bigger role on a revamped Blazers squad. Portland has a loaded backcourt with Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday, Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. The 6-foot-8 Sochan will give them frontcourt depth behind Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara.
–Field Level Media
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Athletics select LHP Ben Bowden, demote RHP Luis Morales
Jul 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Athletics relief pitcher Ben Bowden (62) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images The Athletics selected left-hander Ben Bowden from Triple-A Las Vegas prior to Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
The 31-year-old was a second-round pick by the Colorado Rockies back in 2016, but has not had much production at the major league level.
Bowden was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 32 relief appearances for Las Vegas this season.
In 2021, he made his MLB debut for the Rockies, going 3-2 and posting a 6.56 ERA, 1.82 WHIP and 42 strikeouts across 35 2/3 innings.
He returned to the big leagues in 2025, away from hitter-friendly Coors Field, as a member of the Athletics. He had a 4.22 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and seven strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Luis Morales was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. He was 0-2 and had a 14.06 ERA across 16 innings over five appearances (two starts) this season.
Morales was 1-3 with a 7.18 ERA in 19 appearances (nine starts) for Las Vegas earlier this season.
–Field Level Media
Pirates acquire veteran RHP Camilo Doval from Yankees
Report: Blazers sign F Jeremy Sochan to one-year contract
