LAS VEGAS – Bernardo Sopaj has designs on someday being a UFC champion, so Saturday’s matchup with Ricky Turcios at UFC Combat Evening 247 has a excessive diploma of significance.
Sopaj (11-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a 24-year-old bantamweight out of Albania, stumbled in his octagon debut in March when he was on the receiving finish of an all-time spotlight reel flying knee knockout in opposition to Vinicius Oliveira after beginning the combat robust.
It was an unsightly approach to be launched to the UFC, however an necessary lesson and setback for Sopaj. It didn’t deter his aim of being champion, however beginning 0-2 within the octagon would make his title trajectory that for much longer, though it’s been finished earlier than.
“(A victory is) only one step nearer to what I need, one step nearer to the belt as a result of I’m right here to take the belt and nothing else,” Sopaj informed MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s UFC Combat Evening 247 media day. “I didn’t come right here to rejoice a victory. I didn’t come right here to say that I’m a UFC fighter. If I might come right here for this it might be the incorrect resolution. After I began with MMA I mentioned, ‘OK, if I wish to do that, I’ve to be the very best.’
“To be within the UFC, for me, is just the start. My aim is to be the very best, my aim is to get the belt and be the best fighter.”
Sopaj will look to safe his first octagon triumph when he takes on Turcios (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) on the UFC Apex (ESPN+). His opponent brings an unorthodox fashion to the cage, but it surely’s not an strategy that breeds any concern from Sopaj.
“He’s an excellent all-around fighter,” Sopaj mentioned. “He has a little bit little bit of a bizarre fashion. He’s like a road fighter. However I consider I’m higher than him in every single place. I’m a extra full fighter than him, stronger than him and extra technical.”
Initially, the matchup between Sopaj and Turcios was merely a chunk of the six-fight principal card on Saturday. Then former champion Cody Garbrandt withdrew from the co-main occasion in opposition to Miles Johns, and the lineup was shifted with Sopaj vs. Turcios now within the co-headliner.
That’s an even bigger highlight for Sopaj, however he mentioned it’s solely enhancing his motivation to ship a spectacular efficiency.
“No stress,” Sopaj mentioned. “I really feel superb, very assured. This offers me further pleasure. I really feel superb. I realized about this (on Tuesday) and I really feel superb about it. I’m joyful. … I really feel superb. I’m very grateful.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Combat Evening 247.
You’ll want to go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.
