Daniel Rodriguez wanted Leon Edwards fight before UFC Belgrade

Daniel Rodriguez pushed for a fight against former welterweight champion Leon Edwards before landing his August booking, he told Home of Fight this week.

Rodriguez, who meets Uros Medic at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1, said he lobbied for an Edwards matchup at UFC 329 during International Fight Week but believes Edwards and his camp chose a different path. If Rodriguez beats Medic in Serbia, he intends to renew the callout.

Rodriguez's arrest derailed 2025 momentum

"We wanted the fight; we asked for the fight," Rodriguez said, per Sherdog. "I guess on his end, they were leaning towards another direction. That would've been crazy to have fought on the International Fight Week card. But I got a better opportunity. Another tough matchup as well. We'll see; we'll definitely be calling him out after."

Rodriguez carries a three-fight win streak into Belgrade but has not competed since July 2025. He spent eight months in a Tijuana jail after an arrest at the Mexican border for marijuana possession, and was released in April. Edwards, meanwhile, has dropped three straight — a title loss to Belal Muhammad in 2024, followed by a brutal stoppage against Carlos Prates last November.

Rodriguez and Medic headline the Aug. 1 card in Serbia. Weigh-ins are scheduled for July 31.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Daniel Rodriguez originally hoped to face Leon Edwards in UFC return