UFC: Marcin Tybura Suffers Another Loss. Aleksandar Rakić Defeated the Pole by Decision

The bout between Marcin Tybur and Aleksandar Rakic at UFC Belgrade is now behind us. For both fighters, this was an extremely important bout in terms of their future competition in the heavyweight division.

For years, Marcin Tybura has remained one of the most experienced fighters in the UFC’s heavyweight division. The Polish fighter has dozens of fights under his belt in the world’s largest MMA organization and has faced many of the division’s top names. Thanks to his excellent wrestling skills, endurance, and composure in the Octagon, he has repeatedly proven that he can upset even higher-ranked opponents. Another demanding challenge awaited him in Belgrade.

Aleksandar Rakić made his heavyweight debut. For years, the Serbian had been among the top fighters in the light heavyweight division, but he decided to move up a weight class, hoping to start a new chapter in his career. He brought speed, solid stand-up skills, and extensive experience gained from fighting the best competitors in his previous division to his bout against Tybur. His heavyweight debut was immediately set to show whether he was ready to compete against the division’s elite.

UFC: Marcin Tybura vs. Aleksandar Rakić — Who Won?

Round 1 – Rakić quickly started with a combination of low kicks and punches. The Serb looked great in the opening seconds—he was striking quickly, accurately, and with power. Tybura couldn’t get into a clinch; he blocked a few strikes with his guard, but his leg quickly began to hurt after a series of kicks. Tybura even attempted a high kick after a combination, but he didn’t time it well against Rakić. The Pole landed a good straight punch to the torso after a low kick, and a moment later he dodged his opponent’s hook and countered. “Tybur” landed hard single strikes, but Rakić responded. The Serbian slowed down midway through the round, though Tybura didn’t really step up his offense. Finally, a good attack from the Pole, though the combination thrown from a distance had no chance of success. Marcin looked much better at close range, attacking with either elbows or short hooks. Rakić landed a great left punch and also threatened with a left kick to the head. “Tybur” responded well with an offensive push, but a moment later he was unable to keep “Rocket” on his feet while attempting a takedown.

Round 2 – Rakić started with a left jab, immediately following it up with a quick combination. Tybura entered the second round more aggressively. The Pole landed more blows, dodged a backfist, and kept his opponent on the defensive with a steady stream of strikes. Rakić landed a quick, short hook that grazed the Pole’s eye. “Tybur” refused a break, kept his opponent at bay, and moved around a lot, but it was his opponent who seemed faster. Moreover, Rakić anticipated Tybura’s attacks, as the latter approached him rather slowly, even sluggishly. “Tybur” managed to lock in a Thai clinch for a moment, but his threatening knee strike could only serve as a clear warning to his opponent: “We’re not going into a clinch with this guy.” Tybura tried to attack, was met with counters, but managed to stifle “Rocket’s” offense. Tybura landed some good front kicks to the torso, but they weren’t the kind of kicks that could hurt the Serb. “Tybur” couldn’t have been thrilled after this round, but he was at least moderately satisfied.

Round 3 – Rakić quickly took the center of the cage and tried to apply pressure with straight punches. Tybura responded immediately. The Pole looked for chin shots and even threw a spinning backfist. He landed a brilliant right jab on the counter, but it wasn’t enough. Rakić received a clear message during the break and followed it to the letter—attack to show the judges that you deserve the win. “Rocket” was breathing quite heavily, but he defended “Tybura’s” takedown brilliantly. Rakić landed short elbows in the clinch against the fence and was getting closer to victory with every passing second. Marcin went for his opponent’s knees and neck, but “Rocket” was too clever for him. He pinned the Pole against the net until the referee stopped the fight—even though the outcome was clear after the final bell…

Result: Aleksandar Rakić won by unanimous decision.