"Robocop" Roberto Soldić set for UFC debut against Khaos Williams
Bosnian striker Roberto Soldić, arriving from KSW and ONE Championship, makes his UFC debut against Khaos Williams on the UFC 332 main card in Salt Lake City.
From KSW and ONE Championship to the UFC
Roberto Soldić, known in combat sports circles as "Robocop," has signed with the UFC and will make his promotional debut on Saturday night at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, according to UFC.com. He faces Khaos Williams in a welterweight bout on the UFC 332 main card.
The 31-year-old began his professional career in 2014 in his home country, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Heading into his UFC debut, he carries a record of 21 wins, 18 of them by knockout, built across stints with Polish promotion KSW and Asian organization ONE Championship. His past opponents include notable names such as Michal Materla, Patrik Kincl, Mamed Khalidov and Dagi Arslanaliev. Particularly notable is his 2018 two-fight series against South African Dricus Du Plessis, now the UFC middleweight champion — Du Plessis first took the KSW welterweight title from Soldić, who then avenged the loss six months later with a first-round knockout in the rematch.
An experienced opponent and questions over readiness
Khaos Williams enters the bout with a UFC record that includes 16 wins and 5 losses overall, eight of those wins by knockout, and 11 fights inside the UFC during which, according to SportsGrid, he has never been dropped. Betting markets list Soldić as the favorite at -270, with Williams priced at +130. SportsGrid notes that Soldić's career has included several roughly 18-month layoffs, which raises questions about his readiness for a high-level test against a seasoned UFC veteran.
International support and a legendary mentor
Soldić points to his extensive experience — 26 fights in main and co-main event slots — and says his weight cut has gone smoothly and without injury as he returns to the welterweight (170-pound) limit after five years. He lives in Bosnia and comes from a Croatian family, while also drawing support from Serbia given his roots in the former Yugoslavia; he spent ten years living and training in Germany and enjoys considerable support from fans in Poland. He cites UFC legends Georges St-Pierre and Gegard Mousasi as inspirations, while naming Croatian combat sports legend Mirko Cro Cop as his mentor and biggest hero.
