“If I had one more round, I would’ve kept the belt” - Bibiano Fernandes says he was close to beating John Lineker

While many have spoken about the brutal knockout suffered by Bibiano Fernandes in his ONE: Lights Out title fight with John ‘Hands of Stone’ Lineker, they typically forget to mention that ‘The Flash’ nearly finished Lineker.

In an interview with ONE Championship ahead of his eagerly-awaited return to the Circle against rising bantamweight contender Stephen ‘The Sniper’ Loman, Fernandes discussed his clash with John Lineker, saying:

“The world title fights are always very interesting. I think I got a knockdown on John Lineker, too. So, it was a back-and-forth battle. I was doing well in the fight, I put him down several times, I got the knockdown, but his blow went in. I think if I had one more round, I would’ve kept the belt. But that wasn't my night, it was John Lineker's night.”

Ready to move on from the past, Bibiano Fernandes will try to remind fans of exactly who he is on November 18th when faces the No. 5 ranked Loman. A win would put Fernandes right back into the bantamweight world title conversation. On the flip side, a victory for Loman would likely skyrocket ‘The Sniper’ to world title contention in just his fourth match in the promotion.

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Mark Sangiao expects an even better Bibiano Fernandes at ONE on Prime Video 4

Stephen Loman’s famed coach Mark Sangiao expects former ONE bantamweight world champion Bibiano Fernandes to walk into the Circle on November 18th even better than what we’ve seen from him over the last decade. In an interview with ONE Championship, Sangiao said:

“We know Bibiano had not tasted defeat for a long time, and that loss was a big lesson for him. So I’m expecting we’re going to get a wiser, better, and a more dangerous Bibiano Fernandes. We’re prepared for whatever he’ll bring.”

Knowing how dangerous Fernandes will be heading into the ONE on Prime Video 4 clash, Sangiao gave his fighter a very important piece of advice.

“He’s a wily veteran who knows the ins and outs of the fight game. My biggest advice for Stephen is to treat this fight as a war once he’s inside the Circle. If he does that, he won’t be surprised by Bibiano’s tricks.”

Fans in North America can watch Bibiani Fernandes vs. Stephen Loman live and for free with an Amazon Prime Video subscription on Friday night.