‘Somebody Has To Sleep’ – Zebaztian Kadestam Ready For All-Out War With Roberto Soldic
Zebaztian Kadestam vs. Roberto Soldic is one of the most anticipated matchups at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on Prime Video, and nobody is more excited than “The Bandit.”
Kadestam can’t wait to throw down with the Croatian sensation at ONE’s historic United States debut in Colorado, and he believes their respective styles will guarantee a welterweight MMA barnburner inside the Circle.
There’s no doubt that fans at 1stBank Center can expect hard-hitting action from this showdown on Friday, May 5.
Kadestam and Soldic have 29 knockouts among their 34 combined professional wins, and serious firepower will be on display when the action begins.
For his part, the Swede expects an onslaught from “Robocop,” but he’s also confident in his ability to overcome anything that comes his way.
Kadestam said:
“He’s got the power. He’s got good timing. His left hand is good. He’s primarily a boxer, a better boxer than he is a kickboxer. I’ve got to watch my p’s and q’s so I don’t get knocked out, but so far so good in that department.
“I believe I’m a little bit more slick. I think I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve. I can fight side to side, I can fight moving backwards, I can fight moving forwards. I think he’s mostly a straightforward guy, and that’s going to suit me well.
“But I think he’s a really good fighter. He hits hard, and he takes one to give two, so this is a tough fight for sure. He’s got a puzzle I’ve got to solve, but I’ve got a few more puzzles for him to solve.”
Despite Soldic blitzing most of his previous opponents in the stand-up game, Kadestam actually expects a change of tactics once they start to exchange weapons on the feet.
The Swedish star – who’s scored two straight first-round KOs – expects “Robocop” to start shooting for takedowns after he gets a taste of the striking power going in his direction.
The former ONE Welterweight World Champion said:
“I think – I hope not, but I think – if [Soldic is] smart, he’s going to try and wrestle a little bit.
“In the end, they all do. Look at [Luis] Santos. He’s the best striker I’ve faced, he kills everybody, and he started shooting. Everybody shoots.
“I can’t predict the future but I’m not going to be surprised if he does. It’s MMA at the end of the day, so why not? If he sees the opportunity to take me down and elbow me in the face, why wouldn’t he?”
Zebaztian Kadestam: ‘You Beat The Best, You Be The Best’
As the former divisional king, Zebaztian Kadestam is no stranger to high-profile fights – but he sees this one as his biggest yet.
Although there’s no gold on the line, “The Bandit” knows Roberto Soldic is one of the best competitors in the world. After all, the Croatian has 12 KOs in his last 13 wins, has only lost once in his last 16 outings, and became a two-division MMA king in Europe.
This made Soldic the hottest free agent on the planet before he signed with ONE Championship, and Kadestam would rank a victory on May 5 higher than any other performance of his career to date.
He explained:
“Man, after I beat this guy, I’m back on the top. I don’t care about any title. We will see what happens next, but this is the biggest fight of my career for sure, and I’m coming for everything.
“This is what I wanted to do all along. I wanted to chase greatness. I’m not saying anyone I fought has been a bad fighter, but if I beat this guy, I’m right up there.
“It’s a big step and that’s what this game is about. It’s not about having win streaks or being unbeaten or other things. You fight the best, you beat the best, you be the best. That’s it.”
Kadestam is more motivated than ever to deliver a stunning performance, and he expects the proceedings to finish before the final bell – though his prediction isn’t what fans might expect.
He foresees a dramatic KO, and of course, he’d love to be on the winning side. But as long as Soldic brings the heat and the fans are entertained, he’s ready to accept it going either way.
“The Bandit” added:
“The fight has got to end by KO. Anything else is not enough. I’m giving this fight zero percent chance of going the distance. Somebody has to sleep, and to be honest if it’s a good fight and it has to be me, I don’t give a ****.”
“I expect him to come and try to knock my head off my body and kick it to another planet. I expect it and I look forward to it.”
