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Daniel Rodriguez’s first bout out of prison wasn’t what he envisioned, but he is still holding his head up high.

Rodriguez stepped inside the Octagon for the first time in a year to face the surging Uros Medic in enemy territory. The welterweight clash headlined UFC Belgrade. The odds were stacked against “D-Rod,” and he was ultimately stopped in just 30 seconds via TKO.

In a post on his Instagram Stories, Rodriguez talked about his defeat against Medic. While “D-Rod” believes he was trying to fight an uphill battle, he won’t be dwelling on the loss for long.

“[Expletive], I loaded up on the jab and he beat me to the punch,” Rodriguez wrote. “[Expletive] happens I guess. Regardless of what just happened, I still can say I’m proud of myself for overcoming all that I have this past year. I was way out of shape when I got out of prison. We knew the risk coming out here and fighting this dude in his hometown and still took it. I’m gonna be in way better shape next time. [Expletive] hurts my heart losing. I’ll be better next time.”

Rodriguez was arrested and sent to prison in Mexico back in 2025 for marijuana possession. “D-Rod” was released back in April. Prior to his prison stint, Rodriguez was riding a three-fight winning streak with victories over Alex Morono, Santiago Ponzinibbio, and Kevin Holland.

Oddsmakers had Medic as a sizable betting favorite going into the bout, and they were proven to be correct. “The Doctor” has now extended his winning streak to four and has hasn’t been beaten since early 2025. He will be getting a boost in the Meta UFC rankings, as Rodriguez was just ahead of him prior to their bout on Saturday.

Do you think Daniel Rodriguez will bounce back, or is this the beginning of a slide? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM