ONE Championship’s return to Qatar will feature an explosive welterweight MMA battle. At ONE 171, Dagi Arslanaliev meets Roberto Soldic inside Lusail Sports Arena. The bell will sound on Thursday, February 20, for this exciting matchup.
Soldic was a splash for ONE, but if Soldic thought he would run roughshod through the roster he quickly found out life is difficult on the global stage. After a no-contest against Murad Ramazanov, he was knocked out by Zebaztian Kadestam at ONE Fight Night 10. Dagi Arslanaliev believes he can continue to be a thorn in “Robocop’s” side.
“It doesn’t matter what weight he’s at. When we step into the cage, it’s just him and me. His supporters and mine stay outside,” Dagi Arslanaliev said to ONE.
"Robocop" is BACK 🦾 Croatian star Roberto Soldic welcomes former ONE Lightweight MMA World Grand Prix finalist Dagi Arslanaliev to welterweight in a guaranteed slugfest on February 20 at ONE 171: Qatar! Who you got?#ONE171 | Feb 20 5PM AST/9AM ET
🌎 Live TV broadcast in 190+… pic.twitter.com/E4kwyJp48H— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) December 15, 2024
Dagi Arslanaliev on Roberto Soldic
Arslanaliev is not hiding his true feelings about the Croatian. The fierce athlete does not believe Soldic has the grit to survive a gritty fight. With that belief, he offered pointed words about his upcoming opponent.
“We didn’t have anyone exactly like him, but there were guys who didn’t really want to train or fight, which is somewhat similar to his style. He doesn’t wrestle much and avoids the fight at times. I’ve watched his bouts — he can be quite passive,” Dagi Arslanaliev replied.
Soldic was known for his KO ability, but Arslanaliev is questioning those credentials ahead of their welterweight collision. Still, he is aware of the dangers in all of his matches and is preparing to enter Lusail Sports Arena at the top of his game. The Turk is merely focused on himself.
“Maybe Soldic is a very tough guy, but I haven’t seen anything particularly dangerous from him. Any opponent can be dangerous if you yawn and sleep with your mouth open, you know? Then anything can happen. I’ll just work hard and see how things go. I don’t really focus too much on his strengths or weaknesses. I just do my job,” the hard-hitting athlete said.
Dagi Arslanaliev Wants to Keep His Foot on the Gas Pedal
Dagi Arslanaliev always likes to keep an active pace. While that can be expected again at ONE 171, the welterweight wants to counter what Soldic offers. If there is the slightest mistake, that is when he plans to strike his hardest.
“I can’t predict what will happen in the fight, and I won’t make any statements because I don’t know how things will unfold. My plan is simple – to work off my opponent, capitalize on his mistakes, and keep active the whole time. If the finish comes early, I’ll do my best to make it happen,” Arslanaliev stated.
Dagi Arslanaliev Eager To Go Into Later Rounds vs. Soldic at ONE 171
Surprisingly after the harsh words, Dagi Arslanaliev is not predicting a quick finish. However, he did offer that he wants to take this match into deep waters. There, he plans to stand out as the superior athlete.
“For me, it would be better to take the fight to the later rounds. That way, when my opponent tires, I can show something special to the audience,” the Turk concluded.
ONE 171: Qatar airs live on Thursday, February 20. The action begins at 9 a.m. EST/6 a.m. PST. Stay tuned with MMASucka.com for complete coverage.