Croatian middleweight Roberto Soldic (21-4 MMA) will make his UFC debut at an event in Belgrade on August 1. The 31-year-old is known for a remarkable 86% finishing rate, with 18 of his 21 wins coming by KO or TKO. Soldic is a two-division KSW champion who holds a TKO victory over Dricus Du Plessis and also went three rounds with Yaroslav Amosov.
Croatian striker Roberto Soldic is set to make his long-anticipated UFC debut at an event in Belgrade on August 1, bringing one of European MMA's most decorated careers to the Octagon for the first time.
Soldic, 31, arrives with a 21-4 professional record built almost entirely on finishes. Eighteen of his 21 victories have come by KO or TKO, translating to an extraordinary 86 percent finishing rate. A former two-division KSW champion, he has established himself as one of the most dangerous middleweights to emerge from the European regional circuit. His résumé includes a TKO win over Dricus Du Plessis and a three-round outing against Yaroslav Amosov, two names that carry significant weight in the 185-pound landscape.
Du Plessis, the South African currently ranked second in the UFC middleweight division and seventh in the pound-for-pound standings, holds a 23-3 record and is widely regarded as one of the most active strikers in the weight class, averaging 5.18 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He also contributes 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes, underlining the well-rounded game Soldic tested earlier in both men's careers.
Amosov, the undefeated Bellator welterweight champion who carries a 30-1 record, represents a different kind of test — a relentless grappler who averages 4.64 takedowns and 4.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Going the distance with him speaks to Soldic's durability and defensive wrestling.
Why it matters
- Soldic's debut in his home region of Belgrade adds immediate local significance to the event.
- His wins over Du Plessis and Amosov give him instant credibility at the UFC middleweight level.
- An 86 percent finishing rate makes him one of the most statistically dangerous debutants the division has seen in years.
