Luciano Submits Spasic in First Round at UFC Belgrade
The takedown-to-rear-naked-choke finish highlights Luciano’s ground game, signaling a rising profile in the strawweight division.
Overview
- Stephanie Luciano forced Marina Spasic to tap with a rear-naked choke roughly three and a half minutes into Round 1 at UFC Fight Night 283 in Belgrade on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
- Luciano executed a timed takedown, advanced to full mount, took Spasic’s back, and tightened the choke until the tap, a sequence cited across event play-by-play and official UFC highlights.
- The loss ends Spasic’s UFC debut and underdog storyline after she showed early striking and takedown defense before being taken down.
- Luciano, 26, now has back-to-back submission wins inside the Octagon and improved her overall record, strengthening her case as an emerging contender at 115 pounds.
- The finish was promoted widely by the UFC on Paramount+ and followed by Luciano’s post-fight comments praising Serbia and stressing her focus on finishing fights and hard training.