Roberto Soldic and Daniel Rodriguez Targeted for a Chaotic UFC Dallas Clash

The UFC is kicking off 2027 in Dallas with a welterweight matchup that feels like it was booked by a chaotic random number generator. Roberto Soldic is officially targeted to fight Daniel Rodriguez on January 16, and the career trajectories of these two guys could not possibly be further apart.

Soldic is the shiny new toy at 170 pounds. The 31-year-old Croatian arrived as a former two-division KSW champion with a highlight reel full of terrifying knockouts. He just made his promotional debut in October, grinding out a unanimous decision over Khaos Williams to prove he can actually hang in the big leagues.

Then you have Rodriguez. The 39-year-old veteran is coming off a 30-second knockout loss to Uros Medic in August. Oh, and he also casually spent a chunk of 2026 sitting in a Tijuana prison before getting released in April (because normal training camps are apparently too boring). That is not a comeback arc. That is a Netflix documentary waiting to happen.

If you are looking at the early betting angles, this one screams violence. Rodriguez is a volume striker who lands over seven significant strikes per minute, but he is going up against a guy with 18 career knockouts who absorbs less than two strikes a minute. For context, that math is basically asking to get separated from your consciousness.

The UFC is clearly trying to use Rodriguez’s recognizable name to build Soldic into a legitimate top-15 threat. It is the classic prospect-versus-veteran setup, except the veteran is fighting for his roster life and the prospect hits like a runaway cement truck.

We will see if the bout agreements actually get signed for January 16. If they do, Rodriguez needs to figure out how to avoid eating a left hand, or his 2027 is going to start just as brutally as his 2026 ended.