LAS VEGAS – Bernardo Sopaj has designs on one day being a UFC champion, so Saturday’s matchup with Ricky Turcios at UFC Fight Night 247 has a high degree of importance.
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 end of an all-time highlight reel flying knee knockout against Vinicius Oliveira after starting the fight strong.
It was an ugly way to be introduced to the UFC, but an important lesson and setback for Sopaj. It didn’t deter his goal of being champion, but starting 0-2 in the octagon would make his title trajectory that much longer, although it’s been done before.
“(A victory is) just one step closer to what I want, one step closer to the belt because I’m here to take the belt and nothing else,” Sopaj told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 247 media day. “I didn’t come here to celebrate a victory. I didn’t come here to say that I’m a UFC fighter. If I would come here for this it would be the wrong decision. When I started with MMA I said, ‘OK, if I want to do this, I have to be the best.’
“To be in the UFC, for me, is just the beginning. My goal is to be the best, my goal is to get the belt and be the greatest fighter.”
Sopaj will look to secure his first octagon triumph when he takes on Turcios (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex (ESPN+). His opponent brings an unorthodox style to the cage, but it’s not an approach that breeds any concern from Sopaj.
“He’s a very good all-around fighter,” Sopaj said. “He has a little bit of a weird style. He’s like a street fighter. But I believe I’m better than him everywhere. I’m a more complete fighter than him, stronger than him and more technical.”
Originally, the matchup between Sopaj and Turcios was merely a piece of the six-fight main card on Saturday. Then former champion Cody Garbrandt withdrew from the co-main event against Miles Johns, and the lineup was shifted with Sopaj vs. Turcios now in the co-headliner.
That’s a bigger spotlight for Sopaj, but he said it’s only enhancing his motivation to deliver a spectacular performance.
“No pressure,” Sopaj said. “I feel very good, very confident. This gives me extra excitement. I feel very good. I learned about this (on Tuesday) and I feel very good about it. I’m happy. … I feel very good. I’m very grateful.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 247.