An undefeated middleweight prospect, Soriano was the first fighter from the Contender Series to secure a contract this season, earning the call to the Octagon following his unanimous decision victory over returning competitor Jamie Pickett in the main event of Week 1. The victory pushed the 27-year-old Hawaiian’s record to 6-0 and now he’s set to make his promotional debut on Saturday night in Las Vegas against Oskar Piechota.
Soriano has made a steady climb to the biggest stage in the sport over his first three years as a professional following an undefeated amateur career. Having turned pro at the start of 2017, the relentless middleweight prospect has worked through the different tiers of the regional circuit, bouncing around to different promotions to secure tough fights, and he emerged victorious each time out.
It’s that dogged determination and constant pressure that impressed UFC President Dana White this summer, as Soriano never gave Pickett a chance to get comfortable and regroup, dominating the action to earn a clean sweep of the scorecards and a chance to compete in the Octagon.
Piechota will be a strong initial test for the newcomer as the 29-year-old from Poland has twice as many professional appearances, including a pair of UFC victories, under his belt than Soriano. Piechota looked outstanding in his first two Octagon appearances, but has since been submitted in consecutive losses to Gerald Meerschaert and Rodolfo Vieira, so he arrives in Las Vegas looking to get back into the win column and start rebuilding some momentum to close out the year.
Provided Soriano can maintain his unbeaten record and secure a victory in his maiden voyage into the UFC cage, he should have plenty of opportunities to work his way up the divisional ranks in the coming year.