ONE Championship continued to stack the deck at ONE Fight Night 10 with the announcement of Roberto Soldic vs. Zebaztian Kadestam. The welterweight contender bout has all the makings to be a special slugfest with major implications on May 5. That is exactly why Kadestam was quick to put pen to paper and make it official, according to a recent interview with the company.
“I got offered the fight a week ago, and I was really happy. It’s perfect timing. I have a lot of time to prepare. He’s a good opponent, so I’ll take him any time I can get him. I’m going to come prepared,” said Kadestam.
Most of the hoopla surrounding the bout revolves around Soldic making his U.S. debut. The former two-division KSW titleholder has captivated the mixed martial arts world with stunning knockouts, but “The Bandit” is also ready to make his mark in the United States. After back-to-back knockout victories, Kadestam wants to show the fans what they have been missing.
“I’ve never fought in America. I’ve never even been to America. This is going to be really cool. I’ve been wanting to go to America for a long time. I’ve been on the first Prime Video show, and now I’m on the first U.S. show. I’m happy that I get the opportunity to be on the bigger cards. I think my style suits well for entertainment if they match me well, and that’s what I’m about. It’s not only about winning, it’s about putting on a good show,” said the former ONE Welterweight World Champion.
With a possible title shot hanging in the balance, Kadestam wants to use this exciting matchup to claim his shot. That is why he is excited Soldic enters with a lot of hype. If “The Bandit” can pull off the perceived upset, he will reignite his career with fervor on Prime Video’s huge platform.
But the world should already be paying attention. When Kadestam returned to the Circle last February, he needed less than 90 seconds to secure a knockout win over Valmir Da Silva. Six months later, he needed less than 60 seconds to put away Team Petrosyan standout Iuri Lapicus. Those recent KOs have him ready to fight fire with fire.
“It’s a name. Everybody knows him. He has all the hype, and I want it. I would fight anyone in the world, but this is a winning situation for me. I have a lot to take from this. I’ve been fighting for a long time, and I believe it’s time to get credit for what I’m doing,” said Kadestam.
With their recent knockouts setting the stage for a barnburner, Kadestam is happy that fans will see one of the year’s most dynamic and explosive welterweight matches. It gives him the platform to shine in front of a global audience and a quick path back to the belt he used to hold. But no matter the result, he wants to leave the fans happy.
“This is the biggest and the best fight I could imagine. This is going to bring out the best from both of us. This is the best fight in welterweight history, for sure. This is going to be crazy, I promise you that. Man, if nobody is going to sleep in this one, I’ll be disappointed. I get chills when I think about it,” said Kadestam.
ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III takes place in Broomfield, Colorado, at the 1stBank Center on Friday, May 5. Limited tickets are still available at Axs.com. The event will air live and free to all Amazon Prime members in the U.S. and Canada at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST.
