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MMA Fighter of The Week: Bernardo Sopai is coming for you!
Bernardo Sopai. Photo: Daniel Schälander / FCR MMA
European MMA is booming! In this weekly series, Frontkick.online puts the spotlight on European MMA fighters who deserve international recognition!
Just days ago, Swedish-Albanian bantamweight Bernardo Sopai secured his most important win to date at the huge UFC 311 in Los Angeles.
The promising Allstar Training Center prospect took on the experienced Ultimate Fighter 29 winner, Ricky Turcios, in a highly anticipated matchup. The bout lived up to the hype and both fighters did their absolute best to deliver a real banger. Turcios tried to turn it into a brawl but Sopai used his supreme technical skills to secure his first UFC victory.
With the win, 24-year-old showed that he’s a new force to be reckoned with in the bantamweight division.
Back in Sweden, the young fighter is already something of an MMA-veteran. As a two-division champion delivering spectacular knockouts on the regional scene, it was just a matter of time before he was getting the attention of the international promotions.
Sopai now holds a 1-1 record in the UFC, having faced two tough opponents, and is steadily making his mark in the highly competitive bantamweight division.
This is Bernardo Sopai
- Age: 24
- Weight class: Bantamweight
- Record: 12-3
- Promotion: UFC
- Notable wins: Ricky Turcious, Karlen Minasyan
Want to read more about European MMA fighters?
- MMA is still illegal! What’s it like to be a pro MMA fighter in Norway?
- Samuel Bark is closing in on 100 fights: “Just a couple more and I’ll be there!”
