“They're trying to improve” – Fabricio Andrade weighs in on Stephen Loman leaving Team Lakay

Reigning and undisputed ONE bantamweight MMA world champion ‘Wonder Boy’ Fabricio Andrade has kept a close eye on the gears turning behind the scenes in a highly publicized ‘exodus’ of the Philippines’ famed Team Lakay stable.

Team Lakay once held in its ranks a plethora of world champions, including former ONE titleholders Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Kevin Belingon and Honorio Banario.

However, the majority of the team’s biggest names have high-tailed it out of the Baguio City faction to form their own team, including one of Andrade’s potential opponents – no.2-ranked bantamweight MMA contender Stephen ‘The Sniper’ Loman.

Loman recently announced his departure from Team Lakay and has been seen in training with Lions Nation MMA, the newly formed team led by Folayang and co.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Andrade commented on the Team Lakay ‘exodus’ and what Loman needs to do to get back on track.

Fabricio Andrade said:

“I mean, a lot of people leaving his gym. We got a lot of fighters in ONE Championship who were in Team Lakay and now they're all leaving. There's some reason for that, I don't know what is happening, but they're probably trying to improve more. But for him, now he needs to go back there and get a win as well. Get a win against good guys.”

Loman dropped a unanimous decision to former bantamweight king John Lineker last September at ONE Fight Night 14.

Fabricio Andrade on John Lineker: “He's probably still the toughest guy in the division at the moment”

With Lineker’s victory over Loman last year, Fabricio Andrade believes his Brazilian countryman has firmly established his place in the division.

‘Wonder Boy’ added:

“I mean, he's the number one contender, you know, nobody can deny it, you know, he beat Loman. Loman was the guy who was in the line to fight for the title. He went there, he beat Loman. He fought Loman before Loman's got a knockout in the later rounds, so nobody can deny that he's one of the contenders, you know, and he's probably still the toughest guy in the division at the moment.”