The last time fight fans saw the 28-year-old fighter inside the Octagon, he had just delivered an impressive TKO finish against Maki Pitolo in December. Considering that Todorović was on a two-fight losing skid just before beating Pitolo, that was the exact performance he needed to have. However, what that win represented was far greater than just an “impressive TKO finish.”
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In July of last year, Todorović was struck by a vehicle and his leg had seriously been injured. Not even telling his own family about the injury, Todorović continued to press on, even training while being injured.
While training with an injury is a common thing to hear in this sport, it’s not common to hear about an athlete being struck by a vehicle and continuing to fight and train. After overcoming so many unforeseen and extremely frustrating setbacks, Todorović snapped his two-fight losing skid to close out the year.
When reflecting on how that entire last year played out, the Serbian fighter is most proud of how he handled the situation and overcame all the difficulties.
“I was hit by a car; my leg was pretty busted up. So, I basically hadn’t trained right for that fight. It was a difficult fight for me. I’m just proud that me and my team managed to get the big W. It was a very important win for me, coming from the two losses in a row. I’m glad I managed to finish that year with a big win and get a new contract,” said Todorović.
When asked what his biggest takeaway was from that experience was, Todorović said, “We are all a lot tougher than we think, I guess. Trying to prepare for a fight on its own is a very difficult thing.
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Trying to prepare for a fight in the condition that I was in, it’s even more hard. It was a lot of pressure on me. It was my last fight under contract after a two-fight losing streak and having the injury. It felt like everything was against me. But it felt good to win against odds.”
Todorović should feel proud about everything he’s overcome. He’s a true fighter inside and outside the Octagon. Throughout his journey, he’s stayed true to his roots. Staying in Serbia to train, live, and rehab from injury. Todorović wants to prove that you don’t need to leave your home country to make it far in the UFC.
“What I think separates me from a lot of guys is I do all my training in Serbia. We did everything: camp, everything. We fight, then we go back to Serbia,” said Todorović. “I’ve said it before in interviews, I just want to prove that it can be done. From my country. From my team, Secutor Academy. That’s a goal of mine. A dream of mine, and my coach. To show that it’s possible and we can make it happen.”
Todorović isn’t alone in his dream of putting Serbia on the map. With help from fellow training partner and third-ranked UFC light heavyweight Aleksandar Rakić, Serbia is well on its way to becoming a strong territory that produces great fighters.
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Every region in the world has great fighters, but you need a main hub or at least a few gyms to help train and produce these athletes. It may seem like a slow process, but with the likes of Todorović and Rakić leading the charge, Serbia will surely become what those fighter have envisioned for their home.
