Life can change in an instant.
At the final face-offs for UFC Vegas 87, Bernardo Sopaj confidently predicted victory over his opponent Vinicius Oliveira. “Tomorrow I will knock you out. I will make you sleep, cold. Remember this,” he said. However, less than 24 hours later, Sopaj found himself on the receiving end of a devastating knockout.
Brazil’s Oliveira emerged victorious in the bantamweight bout against Sopaj of Albania at UFC Apex in Las Vegas with a stunning flying knee knockout.
The highlight moment came with just 19 seconds left in the fight, as Oliveira capitalized on Sopaj’s vulnerable moment after a series of strikes.
Sopaj was rendered unconscious by the blow, as shown in this footage from ESPN:
Oliveira’s victory was a come-from-behind triumph, as he had been struggling against Sopaj earlier in the fight. The decisive moment came four minutes and 41 seconds into the third round, as Oliveira’s flying knee landed perfectly on Sopaj’s jaw.
Despite the initial dominance by Sopaj (11-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), it was Oliveira (20-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) who claimed the spotlight with his unforgettable knockout and was awarded a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Oliveira’s scheduled opponent, Yanis Ghemmouri, was replaced by Sopaj last minute due to an injury. The spectacular finish by Oliveira in his UFC debut may mark a turning point in his career.