“I started to become famous in my country” - Roberto Soldic won fans over by reminding them of Mirko Cro Cop

Roberto Soldic recalled the fortuitous moment he became an overnight star in Croatia, all thanks to his childhood idol Mirko Cro Cop.

Having settled in Manila, Philippines, ‘Robocop’ is gearing up for his first fight of the promotion to face top-ranked welterweight Murad Ramazanov in a potential world title eliminator bout at ONE on Prime Video 5.

North American audiences can catch all the action live and for free with an Amazon Prime Video subscription on Friday, December 2.

There’s no denying that every MMA fan wants to see if all the hype surrounding Roberto Soldic is true. As one of the hottest free agents in the sport, Soldic has a reputation for being one of the fastest knockout artists in the game.

However, it took a long time for him to get noticed. It wasn't until Soldic was compared to Mirko Cro Cop, one of the greatest MMA heavyweights in the industry, that his fame in Croatia really kicked off.

He told ONE Championship:

“Then some people heard my name and then even offered me [a fight in] Cage Warriors, Lewis Long, in 2017. It was for three rounds, but only 30 seconds in, I threw the left kick and then I knocked him out. They streamed it and Dan Hardy said it was in the style of [Mirko] Cro Cop, and then more and more people came to [watch] me. I started to become famous in my country. Like when you are the champion, everybody knows.”

Watch Roberto Soldic's knockout against Lewis Long at Cage Warriors 87 below:

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Roberto Soldic says he’s ready for Ramazanov, trains with Dagestani wrestlers

Roberto Soldic said he’s prepared to fight a Dagestani wrestler as efficiently as Murad Ramazanov on December 2.

Despite being known for his striking, Soldic is also well-versed in the grappling department. As the Croatian warrior said before, his opponent can’t get all the information about his skills or the way his punches sting from YouTube videos alone.

Speaking to Tom Taylor from the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the 27-year-old warrior said:

“I train [with] a lot of guys in Germany - I live in Germany. I train [with] a lot of Dagestani guys. They’re the best in wrestling in this sport. But you know, this is MMA. We will see, I’m ready for it.”

Watch the full interview with Soldic: