“I think we can surprise a lot of people” - Stephen Loman says fans will be impressed with Team Lakay’s improved grappling

ONE bantamweight rising star and Team Lakay standout Stephen Loman will face former ONE bantamweight world champion Bibiano 'The Flash' Fernandes on the main card of ONE on Prime Video 4. It will undoubtedly be the toughest challenge of Loman's career as he will be facing a former ONE world champion and a multi-time BJJ world gold medalist.

Stephen Loman's team, Team Lakay, is largely known as a striking-centered stable, showcasing the most creative wushu-based striking ever seen in MMA. A lot of people overlook their grappling skills. However, the Filipino MMA stable is more than capable of being dangerous on the ground. In an interview with ONE Championship, 'The Sniper' spoke about his team's grappling:

"We are working on our grappling everyday, and our confidence is building. Fans know Team Lakay as strikers, but I think we can surprise a lot of people."

Team Lakay fighters have more than proven their skills in the grappling department through the years. One of their most notable fighters, ONE strawweight world champion Joshua Pacio, famously pulled off one of the most inventive submissions in ONE history against Ponshiri Mitsatit. It's without a doubt that these men can more than hold their own when the fight hits the canvas. It would be a mistake to underestimate Stephen Loman's grappling skills come ONE on Prime Video 4.

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Stephen Loman and team prepare counter for Bibiano Fernandes' signature rear-naked choke

Speaking of grappling, Stephen Loman is covering all his bases when it comes to repelling Bibiano Fernandes' grappling wizardry. In an interview with The MMA Superfan, 'The Sniper' spoke about what his team is doing to counter one of Fernandes' most dreaded attacks -- the lethal rear-naked choke.

Loman said:

"Yeah, we’ve been drilling how to counter his rear-naked chokes. We know that it’s one Bibiano’s favorite submission holds, that’s why we’ve been preparing for it."

''The Sniper' concluded with:

"My training partner and I constantly drill on what I would do if Bibiano takes my back. When the fight comes, I know that I should be careful and not allow him to get my back. My defense should be on point, too. If the fight gets to the ground, I have to make sure that I’m in dominant position and that my back won’t be taken."

In grappling, world champions would always say, "drillers make killers." This doesn't apply only to attacks but to defenses as well. Studying and simulating an attack over and over will help you familiarize yourself and create fortified defenses against it.

Stephen Loman is definitely covering the possible holes and openings Fernandes can exploit. It's either he understands the nuances of how to get out of bad positions or just prevents himself from being put in those positions in the first place.

Watch his full interview here: