Roberto Soldic is eyeing up a return to ONE Championship in 2024, and the promotion’s welterweights have a reason to fear. After all, the Croatian powerhouse is the last man to defeat UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis by knockout.
The pair tussled for a second time at KSW 45, with Soldic scoring an emphatic finish over the South African star in the third round. Though he held belts in two divisions at once in the Polish promotion, “Robocop” has struggled to find his feet in ONE since his signing in 2022.
His debut outing against Murad Ramazanov at ONE on Prime Video 5 ended in a no-contest ruling after an errant low blow. And when he returned at ONE Fight Night 10 last May, Soldic found himself on the receiving end of a stellar TKO performance from Zebaztian Kadestam.
He hasn’t been seen in action since. But according to his coach, Ivan Dijakovic, the 29-year-old is ready to step back into competition to remove the bitter taste of defeat.
“It’s been quiet for a long time about [Roberto] Soldic, prepare for the return of ‘Robocop.’ We’ve never chosen opponents. We’ve never rejected opponents. Roberto always wants to fight against the best possible opponents. The fight date and opponent are set. We’re waiting for the fight contract,” Dijakovic wrote on Instagram.
Soldic was the hottest free agent of 2022, given the incredible KO power and well-rounded arsenal that made him an international star.
While moving up to ONE’s global stage has proven difficult, there is no reason to believe Soldic won’t return to form when he makes his way back to action.
After all, he has already shown he has every tool to become a champion.
No official word for an opponent or date has been made, but the impending return of “Robocop” is an exciting proposition for MMA fans everywhere.