Aleksandar Rakic

Aleksandar Rakić, known to fans as "Rocket," is a Serbian-Austrian mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division of the UFC.

Born and raised in Vienna, Austria, in a Serbian family, Rakić found an early outlet for his energy in combat sports, starting boxing and kickboxing training at age 12 after being pushed out of youth football for his aggressive style. By his late teens he had amassed dozens of kickboxing bouts on the Austrian and wider European circuit, working as a hotel waiter and receptionist to help fund his training before transitioning fully into mixed martial arts in 2011.

Rakić holds an Austrian state kickboxing championship and is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Roberto Pastuch. He trains out of Gym 23, an American Top Team affiliate in Vienna, where he sharpened the well-rounded skill set that carried him through Europe's regional scene before he signed with the UFC.

Stylistically, Rakić fights as an aggressive striker with a kickboxing foundation, favoring head kicks and heavy forward pressure, while his wrestling and jiu-jitsu background give him tools to control fights on the ground when needed.

After debuting in the UFC with a decision win over Francimar Barroso, Rakić built his reputation with a first-round head-kick knockout of Jimi Manuwa that earned a Performance of the Night bonus, followed by decision victories over Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith that established him among the division's most dangerous strikers. His career also includes a lengthy recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered ahead of a title-eliminator bout with

Stats last updated: September 16, 2026