Roberto Soldic is ready to make waves in his ONE Championship return at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on May 5. The star-studded lineup features a “who’s who” of top stars, and Soldic wants to right the wrongs of his unfortunate debut at the historic event.
An errant low blow thrown by Murad Ramazanov in their welterwight clash back in Oct. 2022 resulted in a no-contest ruling after Soldic was deemed unable to continue.
The Croatian star has recovered well from that disappointing showing, however. And though he would like to run it back with his old foe when he makes his sophomore bow, the opportunity to fight former ONE welterwieght champion Zebaztian Kadestam at ONE’s U.S. debut on-ground event was too enticing.
“Of course, I [would like a rematch with Ramazanov]. But, after my debut fight, the matchmaker came inside the room and said, ‘We have other plans for you.’ They put me in America, so I’m going to fight. What can I do? I cannot wait,” Soldic told ONE.
“My manager called me and said, ‘You’re fighting in America against Zebaztian Kadestam, a former world champion.’ I have to fight. I never choose any opponent.”
The 28-year-old saw a meteoric rise to stardom while competing in smaller organizations around the world, including becoming a two-division champion in Polish promotion KSW. He was the hottest property in MMA when he became a free agent last year, and he signed with ONE to take his journey to the next level.
With that still very much in his mind, Soldic is excited about joining the ONE Fight Night 10 card alongside other top stars like Demetrious Johnson and Sage Northcutt.
“This is a motivation for me because I came from a small village in Bosnia, and now I’m fighting on the world stage in the USA. This is a really big thing for my people, my country, and me. I fought everywhere in Europe. And now, it’s time to go deeper and go to a different world, like the USA and Asia,” Soldic said.
“I’m very happy I’m fighting in America because I’m on a great card too. Demetrious Johnson against Adriano Moraes. Sage Northcutt is back. Rodtang Jitmuangnon is there, Stamp Fairtex, and all the big names. I’m also on that card, and this makes me go to the gym and train, and keep working hard.”
Kadestam will undoubtedly bring the fight to “Robocop” when they meet, which will make for an explosive welterweight contest.
Soldic plans to meet the former champion’s aggression with his own, as he always does when he competes, and his expectation is to leave with a highlight-reel KO and a new fanbase in the U.S.
“I always try to put on good pressure and finish the guy with my skills. I hope I have shown that with what I did before in KSW and in Cage Warriors. I cannot wait for this one, especially because it’s in the USA. I’m very excited,” Soldic said.
“I am going to try to show my U.S. fans who I am and why they call me ‘Robocop.’”
ONE Fight Night 10 airs live on Friday, May 5, on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET. The action is free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.