BELGRADE, SERBIA - JULY 30: Vlasto Cepo of Serbia is seen on stage during the UFC Fight Night press conference at Belgrade Arena on July 30, 2026 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) UFC Belgrade is less than 24 hours away … It all goes down this weekend (Sat., Aug. 1, 2026) inside Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia. In the main event, Top 15 Welterweights collide as hometown knockout artist Uros Medic collides with Daniel Rodriguez in what should be a violent fight. We have a weekly series at MMAmania.com called “Weekend Lock,” where we share one bet that we predict will slap in Serbia when the chaotic sand settles. We also want to hear what our readers think (that’s you!), so please tell us your most confident UFC Belgrade betting lock in the comments section below (see full UFC Belgrade odds here). Last week’s recap: We’ve cashed four weeks in a row, but unfortunately our UFC Abu Dhabi weekend lock didn’t happen as Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman got scrapped on fight day. Let’s keep rolling below: View this post on Instagram On the UFC Belgrade main card, UFC newcomer Vlasto Cepo makes his highly-anticipated Octagon debut against veteran Gilbert Urbina in a matchup that the oddsmakers expect to be one-sided. This week, I’m locking in Cepo to win by KO/TKO at -220. Here’s Why: “El Chapo” has finally made his way to the Octagon. Cepo (14-3) is making his promotional debut as a –355 favorite, which tells you everything you need to know about how the matchmakers view this fight. He is a longtime Oktagon MMA fighter and is riding a two-fight winning streak. Cepo owns a 100 percent finish rate, with 10 knockouts and four submissions, and all of them have come in the first round. And now gets to make his UFC debut in front of his home fans in Serbia. That’s the kind of atmosphere that tends to bring the best out of fighters, especially aggressive ones looking to announce themselves to the world. The UFC clearly isn’t bringing him in to squeak out a decision — they’re bringing him in to make a statement. Across the cage, Urbina enters with plenty of questions. He’ll be competing for the first time in over a year and has fought just once per year since joining the UFC, making it difficult to build any momentum. He’s also moving back up to Middleweight, the division where he made his UFC debut in The Ultimate Fighter finale before eventually dropping to Welterweight. Whether the extra size helps remains to be seen, but it’s another variable working against him. Most concerning, however, is how his recent losses have unfolded. Urbina has been knocked out in back-to-back fights, with both stoppages coming in the first round. That’s a troubling trend against any opponent, let alone someone who has made a career out of flattening people early. Everything points toward Cepo pushing a relentless pace from the opening bell. His power is legitimate, the crowd will be firmly behind him, and this feels like the exact type of debut the UFC envisioned when it signed him. What could go wrong? The biggest concern is that UFC jitters get the better of Cepo. Making your promotional debut in front of a packed hometown crowd can create enormous pressure, and we’ve seen highly touted prospects start cautiously because of it. There’s also always the possibility that Urbina uses his UFC experience to drag the fight into deeper waters. Even so, the matchup strongly favors the Serbian newcomer. With a perfect finishing record, devastating knockout power, and an opponent who has suffered two straight first-round knockout losses, Cepo by KO/TKO (-220) is one of the strongest plays on the UFC Belgrade card. Vlasto Cepo via KO/TKO/DQ: -220 Vlasto Cepo via submission: +1100 Vlasto Cepo via decision: +1200 Gilbert Urbina via KO/TKO/DQ: +900 Gilbert Urbina via submission: +500 Gilbert Urbina via decision: +1600 To checkout the latest UFC Belgrade fight card and rumors click here.