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Two-division mixed martial arts world champion Roberto Soldic has just signed with ONE Championship, creating a slew of interesting matchups for the Croatian phenom. Soldic himself announced the news on the latest episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
The KSW welterweight and middleweight world champion is one of the most sought-after free agents in the martial arts world. The exclusive deal with ONE Championship will bring the 20-3 fighter to the world’s largest martial arts organization, providing him with the possibility of competing across multiple disciplines, including MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing.
Soldic told Helwani on The MMA Hour:
“I chose ONE [Championship] because it’s the biggest [platform] for martial arts in the world. They give me the opportunity to take all the belts, kickboxing world champion, Muay Thai world champion, MMA world champion, and also boxing world champion… This is something new I want to create something for my people — my whole legacy.”
Soldic, known to most fans by his nickname ‘Robocop’, owns a deadly 90% finishing rate in his career so far. He possesses a whopping 17 victories by way of knockout or TKO, along with one finish via submission. Soldic is also undefeated as a professional boxer, with a perfect 4-0 record in the sweet science.
At just 27 years of age, Roberto Soldic is only beginning to hit his physical prime and seems to have a massive career ahead of him. Signing with ONE Championship opens him up to a world of possibilities across the lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight weight classes.
Watch the interview below:
Potential blockbuster matchups for Roberto Soldic
At lightweight, Soldic will enter a deep and talented shark tank of a division, which is currently ruled by reigning ONE lightweight world champion, Ok Rae Yoon. Possible opponents include former lightweight king Christian Lee, Khabib Nurmagomedov's protege Saygid Izagkhmaev, and former UFC lightweight world champion Eddie ‘The Underground King’ Alvarez.
One division up, Kyrgyzstani welterweight king Kiamrain ‘Brazen’ Abbasov awaits, while a matchup between the division's former champion, Zebaztian ‘The Bandit’ Kadestam, and Soldic would likely be an all-out war.
Soldic also has opportunities at middleweight, where a showdown with Burmese icon Aung La N Sang would likely sell out the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Myanmar.
And of course, a battle with reigning ONE middleweight and light heavyweight world champion ‘The Dutch Knight’ Reinier de Ridder, arguably the pound-for-pound best fighter in ONE Championship, would make for an incredible challenge, should Soldic prove he's worthy.
All of these fights are enticing propositions for Roberto Soldic, so fans have great reason to be excited.
