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Roberto Soldic finally signs with the UFC, and his debut is already booked

Roberto Soldic has signed with the UFC, ending years of the sport asking when it would finally happen. The Croatian knockout artist, a former two-division KSW champion, arrives at welterweight after leaving ONE, and he is not being eased in: his debut is set for UFC 332 against Khaos Williams. He brings a 21-4 record, 18 of those wins by knockout, and one highlight that follows him everywhere.

Key takeaways

Roberto Soldic is finally a UFC fighter

A signing the sport expected for years

For most of the last decade, ‘Robocop’ has been the free agent fans wanted the UFC to sign and never quite got. He built his name as a two-division KSW champion in Europe, then spent a run in ONE Championship, and his deal there expiring finally opened the door. At 31, he lands on the UFC roster with the kind of reputation that arrives fully formed.

The profile is built on finishing. Soldic is 21-4 with one no contest, and 19 of his 21 wins have ended inside the distance, 18 of them by knockout. That is not a highlight reel padded with soft touches, it is a career spent taking people out, which is exactly the currency a new welterweight needs to matter quickly.

Khaos Williams at UFC 332 is a fight, not a soft landing

Two knockout artists, one cage

The UFC did not hand Soldic a gentle introduction. His debut is booked for UFC 332 against Khaos Williams, one of the heaviest hitters in the welterweight division and a man who has ended fights in seconds. Styles make fights, and this is two finishers who both prefer the early exit, which usually means neither is interested in letting it go long.

For a debutant, it is a high-risk, high-reward opening. Beat Williams the way Soldic beats most people, and he is an instant name in a crowded division. Get caught first, and the long-awaited arrival stalls on night one. There is very little middle ground in a matchup like this, and that is precisely why it is worth watching.

The future is mine. And when I step in the cage, I will be a big problem for anyone. I hope I fight for the title.

The du Plessis line, and how high the ceiling is

He already shares knockouts with a UFC champion

The detail that travels with Soldic is his KSW history against Dricus du Plessis. The two fought twice, and each man knocked the other out once, a split that reads very differently now that du Plessis went on to become UFC middleweight champion. It is the cleanest available shorthand for where Soldic’s level might sit: he was trading finishes with a future champion before most of the division had heard of him.

His own ambition has never been quiet. “The future is mine,” he has said. “And when I step in the cage, I will be a big problem for anyone. I hope I fight for the title.” Whether the UFC’s deep welterweight division agrees is what UFC 332 starts to answer.

Follow Roberto Soldic’s UFC arrival with real numbers

Roberto Soldic’s full record, Khaos Williams’ history and the welterweight rankings are in the FightHub app, updated as the debut approaches. Download it to see how the Croatian stacks up before UFC 332.

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