Ranked Marcus McGhee (11-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will face Bernardo Sopaj (13-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) on October 3 at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City. McGhee, 36, acknowledged frustration at again fighting unranked opposition after previously meeting the current champion, but said he intends to make a statement and keep his title run on track. Sopaj enters the bout on a two-fight winning streak.
Marcus McGhee will put his bantamweight ranking on the line against Bernardo Sopaj at UFC 332, scheduled for October 3 in Salt Lake City.
McGhee, nicknamed "The Maniac," carries an 11-2 MMA record into the bout with a 5-1 mark inside the Octagon. The 36-year-old American, who trains out of MMA Lab, sits at number 15 in the bantamweight division. A striker who lands 5.5 significant strikes per minute at 45 percent accuracy, he is an active offensive presence on the feet. His takedown output is modest, averaging 0.31 per 15 minutes, which suggests he is content to keep most of his work standing. McGhee voiced frustration at being matched with unranked opposition once more, particularly given that he has already shared the cage with the current champion. He made clear, however, that he plans to use the fight to send a message and keep his title campaign moving forward.
Sopaj comes in at 13-3 overall and 2-1 in the UFC, riding a two-fight winning streak heading into the matchup. No further verified statistical data was available for Sopaj.
Why it matters
- McGhee has been in the title conversation before, and another dominant performance could pressure the UFC to give him a more decisive ranking test.
- Sopaj's two-fight streak makes him a credible gatekeeper threat despite entering unranked.
- The stylistic question centers on whether McGhee's high-volume striking can overwhelm an opponent gaining momentum at the right moment in his UFC tenure.
Saturday, October 3, 2026
