Former light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakic will make his official heavyweight debut against Marcin Tybura at UFC Belgrade, scheduled for Saturday, Aug.
1, 2026, at Belgrade Arena in Serbia.
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Rakic, 34, holds a 14-6 professional MMA record, with six wins in 11 UFC appearances since 2017.
He aims to end a four-fight losing streak, most recently suffering a first-round knockout loss to Azamat Murzakanov.
Explaining the move up in weight, Rakic cited the severe physical toll of years of drastic weight cutting to reach the 205-pound light heavyweight limit.
"I've been cutting weight already for 20 years," Rakic said. "I was cutting one, two kilos.
Year by year, I'm growing, becoming heavier. The last cuts were 38, 39 pounds in total.
I'm pretty good at cutting weight, but still, the body remembers that, and after every weight cut, I need another two months to recover."
Medical advice played a key role in his decision. Rakic noted that doctors warned him about the long-term health risks of continuing such extreme weight reductions.
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"I worked with the doctors, and they told me, 'It's not the healthiest cutting weight anymore because you want to have a life after the career,'" he said.
"And let's be honest: I am not a small guy."
Beyond health, Rakic believes the heavyweight division will allow him to compete more frequently, as he will no longer need extended recovery periods after weight cuts.
"In the Light Heavyweight division, my body needed a really long time to recover from the weight cut, so I couldn't take a fight immediately after or a short-notice fight," Rakic explained.
"Now at Heavyweight, I can fight much more often, and I want to be much more active. I plan to turn around quickly after this weekend."
His opponent, Marcin Tybura, 39, brings a 27-11 career record and a 14-10 mark in the UFC over a decade.
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Ranked No. 12 in the heavyweight division, Tybura enters the bout following a unanimous decision loss to Tyrell Fortune in March 2026.
