![Stephen Loman (left) and Bibiano Fernandes (right). [Photos ONE Championship]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/10/4e142-16672205375219-1920.jpg)
![Stephen Loman (left) and Bibiano Fernandes (right). [Photos ONE Championship]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Stephen Loman knows that a world title shot is within reach, but he needs to overcome his toughest test yet first.
The rising star will face former ONE bantamweight world champion Bibiano Fernandes in the biggest fight of his career at ONE on Prime Video 4 on November 18 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
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A win for Stephen Loman could possibly push him into a match for the vacant ONE bantamweight world title, but the Filipino fighter isn’t looking past Fernandes just yet.
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In an interview with ONE Championship, Stephen Loman said he’ll never underestimate Fernandes and that he’s still wary of the danger the Brazilian legend poses. Nevertheless, the No.5-ranked bantamweight contender is confident that his game plan will be instrumental in beating Fernandes:
“He’s the former champion. It would be a mistake to underestimate him. We all know how dangerous he is with his grappling, so I’m not taking him lightly. But I think he’s going to be surprised in this fight. We have a good game plan.”
The Team Lakay star is 2-0 in ONE Championship and has scored impressive wins over Yusup Saadulaev and Shoko Sato in his start in the promotion. Though he’s on an incredible run of form, Loman will be tested against Fernandes. ‘The Flash’ is the current No.3 bantamweight contender and a former ONE bantamweight world champion.
Fernandes had two reigns atop the bantamweight division, with the first going from 2013 to 2018 and the second starting in 2019 and ending just this year.
Stephen Loman hyped up for his fight against Fernandes
Stephen Loman always envisioned himself tussling with Bibiano Fernandes inside the Circle. The moment his fight against the 42-year-old was made official, Loman admitted that he couldn’t help but get excited.
Loman, in a previous interview with The MMA Super-Fan, said that he feels a win over Fernandes would lead to his goal of fighting for the ONE bantamweight world title:
“Even before and now this is it. So I’m very excited for this fight. This is my chance to focus on fighting him and defeating him because he’s the No.1-ranked [contender]. And if I beat him, I will have the chance to fight for the title.”
Catch the interview here:
