Medic On Rodriguez Arrest: 'Stain On All Fighters'

Uros Medic says Daniel Rodriguez's nine-month imprisonment in Mexico damaged the reputation of all MMA fighters.

The Serbian welterweight faces Rodriguez at UFC Belgrade on August 1, marking his opponent's first bout since being released from a Tijuana jail in April. Rodriguez was arrested for attempting to cross the border with marijuana, which he said was for personal use.

Medic Criticizes Media Coverage Of Fighter Arrests

Medic told MMA Fighting that incidents like Rodriguez's arrest harm how the public views the sport. "It's unfortunate that he had to go through stuff like that," he said. "Obviously, it was probably his fault. And I think that type of stuff puts a stain on all of our names, on all the fighters' names. Media cannot wait to write another bad story about an MMA fighter."

The Serbian contender added that he carries himself as a professional and will not appear in headlines for legal troubles or substance issues. "I'm not the type of fighter that's gonna be a controversial person and have trouble with the law, trouble with drugs, substance abuse, or anything like that," Medic said. "I'm a professional athlete, I carry myself professionally."

Rodriguez spent nearly nine months incarcerated after attempting to transport marijuana across the Mexican border, despite the substance being legal in multiple American states. He has described befriending a cartel figure during his time inside and said he previously made similar border crossings without issue.

Medic enters the Belgrade card riding a three-fight knockout streak, all finishes coming in the first round. Rodriguez brings his own three-fight winning run into the matchup. Neither fighter has reached a decision in their recent UFC appearances.

Original reporting:

• sherdog.com — Uros Medic believes Daniel Rodriguez’s arrest is a ‘stain’ on the image of fighters