Albanian UFC fighter Bernardo Sopaj returned to the spotlight Saturday night after defeating Timothy Cuamba at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.

Sopaj secured the victory with a rear-naked choke submission in the second round after an intense fight that quickly caught the attention of MMA fans online. The bout was part of the main card at UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa, giving the Albanian fighter one of the biggest stages of his career so far.

The fight was important for Sopaj’s future in the UFC, as the 24-year-old bantamweight looked to build momentum and prove himself as a serious contender in one of the promotion’s most competitive divisions.

After a difficult 2024 loss to Vinicius Oliveira — a fight that went viral across the MMA world — Sopaj entered Saturday night under pressure to bounce back. He did exactly that.

Following a competitive opening round, Sopaj dropped Cuamba with a strong left hand before finishing the fight on the ground with a submission in the second round.

Born in Albania and representing Albanian roots internationally, Sopaj is one of the few Albanian fighters currently competing in the UFC. He trains and fights out of Sweden and now improves his professional MMA record to 13-3.