Methodical pressure, clean back-take, clinical squeeze
Dusko Todorovic didn’t rush, didn’t force, and never lost position. In the final bout of the Noche UFC 3 preliminary slate, the Serbian middleweight walked Medina into clinch range, chipped away with short strikes, and won the small battles that lead to big finishes. Once the fight hit the mat, the pattern was set: controlled transitions, patient advancement, and a finish that looked inevitable the moment he cinched the back.
The key sequence played out like a textbook drill. Todorovic secured his hooks, settled his weight, and shut down Medina’s first escape attempts by controlling the wrists and keeping his chest glued to the shoulders. Rather than chasing the neck too early, he softened Medina with measured shots and constant pressure, waiting for the defensive shell to open. When the chin lifted even slightly, he threaded the arm under, set the squeeze, and got the tap. You could see why cageside observers called it a suffocating hold.
There was nothing flashy about it, and that was the point. Todorovic chose position over chaos, avoided the scramble-heavy exchanges that can flip a fight, and used fundamentals to close. For grapplers watching at home, the details stood out—patient hand fighting, a steady hip line that stopped reversals, and a calm read on breathing and posture before committing to the choke. It was measured violence, the kind that doesn’t leave much room for hope on the defending side.
The rear-naked choke remains one of MMA’s most reliable finishers, and this was a clean reminder of why. It’s fast when it needs to be, but it’s also a slow strangle when the attacker controls the body triangle and keeps the defender’s shoulders pinned. Todorovic did exactly that, switching between flattening out and letting Medina turn just enough to expose the neck again. When the pressure locked in, the referee saw all he needed.
As the horn for the main card loomed, this closer delivered what a promotion wants from its final prelim: clarity, not controversy. The crowd got a decisive ending, and the middleweight division got another name pushing toward the middle tier, maybe higher. Todorovic’s game has always hinted at finishing instincts; Friday night, those instincts were paired with composure.
What it means for Todorovic, and what comes next
Context matters on a stage like this. Noche UFC 3 is the company’s showcase during Mexican Independence Day weekend—a card built for noise, pace, and momentum swings. By bottling the energy of the arena and turning it into a calm, controlled dismantling, Todorovic gave the broadcast a crisp handoff to the main card and reminded matchmakers he’s a finisher who doesn’t need chaos to shine.
Interviewed in the octagon by Daniel Cormier, Todorovic kept his focus on the performance and the process. No wild callouts, no promises he couldn’t keep—just a steady message about tightening his game and stacking wins in a crowded middleweight field. That restraint actually helps his case. Consistency gets you booked often, and finishes get you moved up. He just checked both boxes.
For all the talk about striking in the division, wrestling and back control still decide careers. Todorovic showed he can dictate where the fight takes place, and once he’s there, he can end it. That makes him a problem for opponents who rely on pocket exchanges to find rhythm. Make one mistake in a scramble, and he’s on your hips; make a second, and he’s on your back.
What’s the sensible next step? A bout with someone hovering just outside the rankings or a seasoned veteran on a recent win. The goal is simple: test his ability to impose pace over three rounds and keep the finishing threat live from horn to horn. If he keeps turning defensive scrambles into back-takes, that climb will feel less like a leap and more like a steady march.
As for Medina, there’s no shame in dropping one to a specialist on a good night. The tape will show the turning points—frames lost on the fence, a missed underhook, a late reaction to a mat return. Those are fixable. But against a patient grappler who’s not giving position back, small cracks widen fast.
The atmosphere inside Noche UFC 3—festive, loud, and tilted toward action—matched the card’s intent. Todorovic’s finish fit the theme in its own way. It didn’t need a wild exchange to get the roar; it earned it with pressure and craft. For a prelim closer, that’s ideal: a statement that sets the expectation for the hours ahead.
- Key takeaway: Todorovic’s control and composure were the difference. He didn’t chase the neck; he built the finish.
- Technical note: Back control plus steady wrist fighting opens the path to a rear naked choke without giving up position.
- Big-picture view: In a division with heavy hands, reliable grappling is a cheat code for steady progress.
Mark it down as a clean, timely win on a packed weekend card. The performance was the message: give Todorovic a path to your back, and you might not get a second chance.
