Dricus du Plessis praises Roberto Soldic after KO win at ONE 171

Welterweight MMA juggernaut Roberto Soldic rocked the world last week at ONE 171, going as far as capturing the attention of UFC Middleweight World Champion Dricus du Plessis.   

“Robocop” made a stunning return to the win column at Qatar’s Lusail Sports Arena. There, he faced fellow perennial finisher Dagi Arslanaliev, scoring a monumental first-round stoppage in the process last Thursday, February 20. 

As the world looked on in awe, so did the UFC’s Du Plessis. The pair share plenty of history, having fought one another three times under the banner of Europe’s largest promotion, KSW. 

Through their shared history, the two are tied together forever. And given the fact that Soldic was the last man to knock out the South African, Du Plessis remembered the ferocious power inhabited by the Croatian. So he was quick to give him his flowers. 

“Wow! Well done @soldicmma,” Du Plessis posted on Instagram. 

“Hardest left hand in world – I’m talking from experience.”  

Roberto Soldic had to “miss” fighting to come back better

It had been 20 long months since Roberto Soldic had set foot inside ONE Championship’s Circle. But if “Robocop” was going to show his true potential, he felt he needed time away in order to come back strong. 

The 30-year-old’s lead-up to ONE 171: Qatar saw him rediscover the eye of the tiger. His body had healed, his injuries had faded, and his passion was re-lit.  

So when his brutal left hand landed on Dagi Arslanaliev, he felt like he’d finally got off to the races in ONE Championship.  

“You know, sometimes it’s good to take some break from the fight because I miss it now,” Soldic said. 

“You know, 20 months is enough time, and I get a fight. I do my job, my performance. It’s nothing new for me.”