Current UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis was successful in defending his title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 this past weekend. ‘Stillknocks’ seemed to be a man on a mission when he entered the Octagon in Perth, Australia. Du Plessis defeated Adesanya with a rear-naked choke in the fourth round and is now unbeaten in his last eight fights in the UFC. 

His recent form has been nothing short of extraordinary, and it seems beating him will be a task. However, there’s one fighter who did the unimaginable, and that’s Roberto Soldic. The pair met at KSW 45, and Soldic won the fight via knockout in the third round. Let us take a closer look at their rivalry. 

Roberto Soldic settled scores with Dricus Du Plessis at KSW 45 

Before his move to the UFC, Du Plessis was dropping opponents left, right, and center in KSW. The South African has an impressive record in MMA. However, his rivalry with Soldic is worth remembering. Both fighters faced each other for the first time in 2018, at KSW 43. The KSW welterweight title was on the line, and just like most occasions, Du Plessis handled the pressure better. ‘Stillknocks’ knocked out the champion Soldic and ended his seven-fight winning streak. However, the Croatian did not waste much time to get the belt.

The highly anticipated rematch happened in the same year in October at KSW 45. However, this time around, Soldic was not going to be denied. The 29-year-old ended the fight in the third round after knocking out the champion to reclaim the division’s top prize. During his time at KSW, Soldic claimed titles in the welterweight and middleweight divisions. However, after his contract ran out in the Polish organization back in 2022, the Croatian was one of the hottest free agents in MMA at the time. After considering offers from multiple promotions, Soldic was allured by the potential to become a multi-sport World Champion in ONE Championship. 

Let us take a look at his journey to date at ONE Championship and which opponents can he take on next. 

Who will Roberto Soldic’s next victim be in ONE Championship? 

Roberto Soldic was a force in Europe, winning 17 of his 20 wins via knockout and one via submission. However, his move to ONE Championship has not been as smooth as his previous run. His promotional debut ended in an anticlimactic manner, as Russia’s Murad Ramazanov inadvertently hit him below the belt early on in their match. “Robocop” was unable to continue despite a five-minute recovery period, which prematurely ended the match in a no-contest. 

Soldic then featured at ONE Fight Night 10, where he took on former divisional king, Zebaztian Kadestam. Looking to bag his first victory in the promotion, the Croatian suffered a massive setback that night. After getting pummelled in the first round of the contest, Kadestam surprised everyone when he scored a knockout in the second round. 

Despite his disappointing outings, the 29-year-old has shown glimpses of his greatness in his last fight, which makes fans eager to see him back in action soon. With reigning ONE Lightweight and Welterweight World Champion Christian Lee returning to the Circle soon, there could be important movements in the welterweight ranks, with Soldic certainly a name to watch out for.

Who do you want to see him fight next? Let us know about it in the comments below.