Robert Valentin vs. Duško Todorović
UFC Fight Night · August 1, 2026 · Belgrade Arena
Robert Valentin def. Duško Todorović — Submission (guillotine choke), R1 4:14
The breakdown below was written before the fight.
Neither man is built for a decision — between them they have one career decision win each, and both have clear finishing paths. Todorović's edge is everywhere on the feet: more volume, more power, more polish, and Valentin's striking defense has leaked badly against lesser punchers. But every exchange Valentin survives is a chance to clinch, trip, and start climbing toward the back, where his choke game is genuinely elite and Todorović has been vulnerable to grapplers before. Expect Todorović to hurt him at some point and Valentin to hunt submissions off any scramble that follows — whoever lands their weapon first ends the night early.
The Matchup
The style clash here is stark: Todorović wants a fast-paced fight with heavy hands and top pressure, while Valentin wants exactly one thing — a path to the mat and a route to the back. Todorović's numbers show the risk on both sides: he lands plenty but absorbs plenty, and his 42 percent takedown defense is a flashing invitation for a grappler with a 1.78 submission average. Valentin, in turn, has been stopped by strikers with far less polish than the Serbian carries. Someone's biggest weakness is getting tested inside two rounds, and the Belgrade crowd will be roaring for the local.
Tale of the Tape
| Robert Valentin | Duško Todorović | |
|---|---|---|
| 11-6 | Record | 13-6 |
| 31 | Age | 32 |
| 6'2" | Height | 6'1" |
| 77" | Reach | 74" |
| Orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
| Switzerland | Country | Serbia |
| Xtreme Couture | Team | — |
The Numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
Robert Valentin
“Robzilla”
Robert Valentin was born in Zwickau, Germany, raised in Switzerland, and earned the nickname 'Robzilla' from a grappling coach whose students he kept injuring. A judo brown belt who reached the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 32, he is a pure submission hunter — seven of his eleven wins have come by tap, most of them from the back. His UFC run has been bumpy, with losses to Ryan Loder, Torrez Finney, and hot prospect Ateba Gautier, but he rebounded in April with a first-round rear-naked choke of Julien Leblanc. Now training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, he knows exactly what he is: get the fight to the mat or go home. His record also includes one no contest.
- WJulien Leblanc · Submission (rear-naked choke)UFC Fight Night · April 18, 2026
- LAteba Gautier · TKOUFC 318 · July 19, 2025
- LTorrez Finney · Decision (split)UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Murphy · April 5, 2025
Duško Todorović
“Thunder”
Duško Todorović is Belgrade's own, a Serbian middleweight who fights in front of his home city for the first time in his UFC career. He arrived in the promotion through the Contender Series in 2019 as an undefeated blue-chip prospect, and his 13 career wins include 12 finishes — eight knockouts and four submissions. The UFC road has been harsher, a mix of injury losses and tough matchups leaving him fighting for his roster spot more than once. When he is rolling, 'Thunder' is an avalanche of pressure striking and top-position ground and pound, and a home crowd in Belgrade is exactly the setting for his best version.
- WJosé Medina · Submission (rear-naked choke)UFC Fight Night: Lopes vs. Silva · September 13, 2025
- LZachary Reese · Decision (unanimous)UFC on ESPN 68 · May 31, 2025
- LMansur Abdul-Malik · TKO (knee and punches)UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates · November 9, 2024