Paul Abraham
Two former IMMAF athletes enjoyed successful nights at UFC Belgrade as Nina Nikolija Milošević and Bogdan Grad both picked up impressive wins inside the Octagon.
Grad has a long history with IMMAF. Representing Austria, he competed at three IMMAF World Championships and the 2018 European Championships. His best result came in 2018, when he won the lightweight bronze medal. During those years, Grad faced several experienced international opponents and steadily developed his game. The experience gained on the amateur circuit helped prepare him for the professional ranks, eventually leading him to the UFC.
Those years of international experience paid off at UFC Belgrade. After controlling much of the opening round with his wrestling, Grad faced a tougher second frame before securing a choke to finish Dennis Buzukja and record another UFC victory. The win allows the Austrian to continue climbing the lightweight ranks and confirms the progress he has made since his amateur days.
Milošević also built her career through IMMAF.
The Serbian won gold at the 2021 IMMAF World Championships before adding another title at the 2022 IMMAF European Open. Those results established her as one of the top amateur athletes in the world before making the move to professional MMA.
She made the most of her UFC debut in Belgrade. Fighting in front of a home crowd, Milošević produced a dominant first-round TKO victory. In doing so, she became the first Serbian woman to earn a UFC victory on home soil. It was a memorable way to begin her UFC career and another milestone after her success on the IMMAF amateur circuit.
From the IMMAF cage to the UFC Octagon, Bogdan Grad and Nina Milošević have continued their progression at the highest level of the sport. Their victories in Belgrade mark another important step in two careers that began on the international amateur circuit.
