Ante Delija, a 35-year-old mixed martial artist, has finally made his mark in the UFC after years of hard work. His journey to the UFC was not straightforward. He was supposed to fight Ciryl Gane in 2020, but things did not go as planned due to some issues. Instead, he spent four years in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), where he won the 2022 Heavyweight Tournament title. His debut in the UFC happened on September 6, 2025, against Marcin Tybura, which he won. Now, he is set to fight again on the undercard of UFC Fight Night: Garcia vs. Onama.

Delija was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on August 7, 1990. He is of South Slavic ethnicity, though he has not spoken much about it publicly. Dubrovnik is known for its beautiful medieval walls and Adriatic coastline, not for producing top fighters. Delija's roots are deeply connected to this coastal city. He started his martial arts journey in Croatia, training with Gladiator Croatia before joining the Cro Cop Team, founded by the legendary Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic. Under Cro Cop's guidance, Delija developed a disciplined and measured fighting style. He has always stayed true to his Croatian roots, even when his career took him to international stages. He often walks out with the Croatian flag, showing his pride in his heritage.

Delija's professional record stands at 26 wins and 6 losses. He has been competing since 2011 and has shown his skills in various organizations like PFL, KSW, Rizin, and now the UFC. Out of his 26 wins, 13 have been by knockout or TKO, 6 by submission, and 7 by decision. He has beaten notable fighters like Marcin Tybura, Renan Ferreira, and Matheus Scheffel. His biggest achievement was winning the 2022 PFL Heavyweight Championship with a first-round TKO of Scheffel in the finals. After over 14 years of fighting, Delija finally made it to the UFC in 2025, winning his debut fight against Tybura. If he can overcome Waldo Cortes-Acosta in his next fight, bigger opportunities may await him.

CROATIAN HERITAGE

Croatian Fighter Ante Delija: A Journey of Pride and Power

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