Aleksandar Rakić defeated Marcin Tybura by unanimous decision in Belgrade, ending his own four-fight losing streak while handing the Polish heavyweight a third consecutive defeat.
Rakić was born in Austria but is of Serbian descent. His run of four straight losses at light heavyweight, which included a defeat to Błachowicz, led him to try his luck in the heavier division. The UFC placed him on a card in Serbia, calculating that he would draw a large local crowd.
Tybura, 40, came in on a two-fight skid. Rakić made early progress in the first round, repeatedly landing punches and targeting the Pole’s lead leg with kicks that appeared to cause significant pain. Rakić then shifted to a more measured approach, which allowed Tybura to respond, though not convincingly enough to take the round.
The second round was close. Tybura worked to seize the initiative and started more exchanges, but the volume of clean significant shots he landed fell short of what was needed to clearly win the frame.
The third round settled the contest. Rakić opened with accurate strikes on the feet, then controlled Tybura in the clinch, using elbows for much of the period. The judges’ decision in his favor came as no surprise.
The defeat was Tybura’s 25th UFC appearance and his third straight loss. At 40, and with a notable decline evident in recent outings, whether the promotion will offer him another booking is now an open question.
