ARTICLE AD BOX
Slobodan Maksimović, a well-known MMA fighter, coach, and podcast host, recently appeared on the Podcast Inkubator to discuss his MMA career, memorable moments, and his experience sparring with the popular Roberto Soldić. Soldić, who has been part of major MMA organizations and is currently with ONE Championship, is famous for his exceptional skills and discipline.
Maksimović described their sparring session in an engaging way, highlighting Soldić's impressive discipline and professionalism. At just 29 years old, Soldić is already recognized as one of the top MMA fighters in that region of Europe. Maksimović praised Soldić not only for his remarkable fighting abilities but also for his professionalism and admirable character, which further enhanced his reputation in the MMA world.
"I spent almost three months there, staying with Soldić. It was a wonderful experience; I saw many things with him and came to respect him a lot because of his discipline. He is a very disciplined soldier. I've always been irritated by people who belittle someone’s quality or success, as was done with Soldić in some stories. If they had spent a week with him, they would completely change their opinion because the guy is a ruthless professional," said Maksimović for Fight Site.
Soldic invited him to come to his place to train, and Maksimovic expressly agreed. However, Maksimovic was stubborn, believing that he did not need a helmet. Not long after that, he had an important lesson from Soldic.
"That day no one had been training, but he called me to help him out, which I immediately accepted because they had helped me before. I stayed at his place and was looking for a way to repay the favor. But, honestly, I wish I hadn't tried to repay it that day. He called me downstairs and told me to put on a helmet. But, you know, it was that Serbian mentality in 2010, CDS, and I was like, ‘Come on, man, I don’t wear helmets, what helmet...‘"- he continued.
They sparred for five rounds with 16-ounce gloves. It was clear that Soldić would be the more dominant fighter in the session, given his experience and the bouts he had with well-known boxing names. Slobodan Maksimović tried his best to put up a fight and challenge the Croatian MMA fighter, but it seemed to be in vain.
In the fourth round, something happened that Maksimović still remembers vividly. He received a heavy punch from Soldić, which he believes was probably a right cross. He described the impact of that punch as if he had been hit by a brick. Although they continued the sparring session, that moment has stayed with him, and he still recalls it to this day.
"He hit me with something... I think it was his wide right cross that he throws. I’ve never experienced anything like that with anyone else except him; it was such a blunt hit, like being struck by a brick. It didn’t knock me out, I was fully aware the whole time, I saw everything, didn’t fall down, but it felt like my brain froze. I had this intense pain in my head. I told him, ‘Stop, man. I’m here, but I can’t move, my brain is numb, it hurts. Just stop for 10-20 seconds.’ We continued, and he was even more careful not to hurt me. After we finished the sparring, I told him that now I understand why people wear helmets," -he concluded.
Roberto Soldic and his records
Roberto Soldić boasts an impressive MMA record. Out of 25 fights, he has secured 20 wins: 17 by knockout, 1 by submission, and 2 by decision. The 29-year-old has also faced four losses, with 2 by knockout and 2 by decision. His most recent fight was against Zebaztian Kadestam, where he was defeated by TKO on May 5, 2023, at ONE Fight Night 10.
This loss was an important lesson for Soldić, who has repeatedly demonstrated courage and readiness to step into the ring with anyone. Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croatian fighter aims to achieve great things in ONE Championship. It remains to be seen whether he can bounce back from this recent defeat and once again prove to the world just how skilled he is.
The last two fights for Roberto Soldić in ONE Championship haven't gone as planned, with one ending as a no-contest and the most recent resulting in a loss. Despite these setbacks, Soldić continues to train hard, give his best, and believe in his comeback. Stories like the one from Maksimović highlight just how passionate he is about MMA and how determined he is to achieve success and capture a title.
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