“I’d also love to face a legend” - Dagi Arslanaliev challenges Japanese MMA icon to submission grappling match

Lightweight MMA contender Dagi Arslanaliev is never shy to take any challenge presented to him, no matter how dangerous his opponents could be.

The Turkish fighter is set to make his return to action when he faces Croatia's Roberto Soldic in welterweight MMA action at ONE 171: Qatar this Thursday, February 20, inside the Lusail Sports Arena.

Moving up a weight class to fight a competitor like 'Robocop' may give pause to others, but Arslanaliev is confident he would come away with a victory in Qatar.

After all, he stepped into unfamiliar territory in his last outing at ONE Fight Night 13 in August 2023, when he competed in a 180-pound submission grappling bout with Tye Ruotolo. While he wasn't able to come away with the victory on that occasion, it has not deterred his confidence in wanting to compete in the format again.

Speaking to ONE Championship, he said:

"If there are offers from notable grapplers like Ruotolo, I’d gladly accept. I’d also love to face a legend like Shinya Aoki."

Shinya Aoki is a Japanese martial arts legend, having made a name for himself in MMA, jiu-jitsu, and the professional wrestling scene in Japan. He's also never one to back down from challenges, so it will be interesting to see if he decides to take on the challenge of a young lion like Dagi Arslanaliev.

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Dagi Arslanaliev ready to pull out all the stops against Roberto Soldic

Dagi Arslanaliev has not competed in ONE's MMA competitions since December 2021. However, he has established himself as one of the top fighters in the world's largest martial arts organization with eight wins in 10 outings, with all eight ending before the final bell rang.

In his return, he will be squaring off against Roberto Soldic, one of Europe's top talents today. Unlike Arslanaliev, the Croatian sensation has not yet gained his footing in ONE and would very much want to make a statement against a fighter of his opponent's caliber.

It would be easier said than done, though, as Arslanaliev has expressed his desire to remind everyone why he is considered a top fighter despite his years of absence in the Circle.

"To my fans around the world: after a long time, I’m back in the cage. I’m ready to showcase the full arsenal of skills I’ve built up over the years. I would’ve fought in December and shown Soldic what he’s afraid of, but now I’ll do it here."