"They need more HW", "Oh no! Another Patchy Mix" - Fans react to reports of Former PFL heavyweight champion Ante Delija signing with UFC

The UFC has reportedly signed a big-name athlete in Ante Delija, who is a former PFL champion. This news has sparked reactions from netizens. Reportedly, Delija is the latest fighter to ink a contract with the UFC. Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting was the first to report the news.

Multiple people with knowledge of the situation confirmed the news to the outlet regarding the 2022 PFL heavyweight champion transitioning to the octagon from the smart cage, with X account @mma_orbit relaying the signing on their platform.

Check out the discourse surrounding Ante Delija's UFC signing below:

X users sounded off about Delija coming on board, with some responses ranging from being excited about getting some new blood within a relatively shallow weight division. Conversely, some X users drew comparisons to a particular UFC 316 promotional debutant that left some feeling underwhelmed.

A fan wrote:

"They need more HW bc that's the one division that's weak"

Another commented:

"Oh no! Another patchy mix 💀"

A netizen quipped:

""Now this is a fight that gets my juices going" ~ Jon Jones"

Fan reactions. [Screenshots courtesy: @mma_orbit tweet thread on X]

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Ante Delija and his body of work within MMA

Ante Delija boasts an overall professional MMA record of 25 wins and 6 defeats, with 18 of his victories ending inside the distance. The 34-year-old initially cut his teeth on the Bosnian and Croatian regional circuits, after a victory over former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez secured through that early stretch.

Delija would then go on to compete for circuits like KSW, Rizin, and M-1 before 'Walking Trouble' would sign on with the PFL in 2019. Notable wins inside the PFL smart cage of Renan Ferreira, Matheus Scheffel twice, Shelton Graves, and Maurice Greene took place throughout his multi-season tenure, with a 2022 tournament title being captured by Delija during his promotional tenure.

The native of Croatia last stepped into the cage under the FNC banner when Ante Delija finished former UFC veteran Yorgan De Castro less than a minute into their April bout.

Also, Delija is a protégé of mixed martial arts legend Mirko Cro Cop. He has been honing his skills within the purview of the former grand prix champion under the K1, Rizin, and Pride banners for years now, and it will be intriguing to see what this Croatian heavyweight standout can do in the octagon.