It had been nearly eight years since Bibiano Fernandes had tasted defeat when Kevin Belingon upset him this past November.
Belingon took Fernandes’ bantamweight title at ONE Championship 83. Prior to that split-decision setback, Fernandes hadn’t lost since December 2010. Sunday, Fernandes has a chance to avenge that loss when he challenges Belingon, the new champ, for the belt he held for more than five years.
Fernandes (22-4) takes on Belingon (20-5) at “ONE Championship 92: A New Era,” which takes place at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo and is the promotion’s debut in Japan. There are four title fights at the top of the card, plus the promotional debuts of former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez.
Ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster event, catch up with Fernandes before his title fight with Belingon.
Tell us about your loss to Belingon this past November.
Nowadays, everyone has evolved in MMA. It’s not easy to simply submit someone. I’ve watched our last fight and I don’t feel I lost. On the feet, we were even. I had superior grappling and takedowns. He mostly defended. But that’s life. We’re moving forward. I hadn’t lost in several years. This only made me become more motivated. Life goes on. This is part of our game. When two athletes compete, one must be the winner, and one most lose. That’s how I see it. It was his night. I have to improve so I can do better next time.
What went wrong last time?
I’ve analyzed the fight and asked for a lot of opinions. Everyone agrees – it was a close fight but he did a lot of defending. And in the final minute of the fifth round, he started to run away and celebrate. I thought he was crazy. I suppose making it to the final bell is a sort of victory for him. The only thing I would have changed is that I should have been more patient. I tried to submit him too much.
How did you feel when the promotion granted you an immediate rematch?
ONE Championship did great, booking this rematch. I saw that the UFC didn’t give Demetrious Johnson a similar chance. I’m really looking forward to beating Kevin again. My style is to always move forward and look for a finish. Last time, though, I was lacking in patience. I was too aggressive, trying to get a quick finish. But we’ve been studying and correcting things.
How do you envision this next fight?
I can’t visualize things. Too much can happen. But my goal is a KO or submission. I’ll take a win, no matter how it happens. I’ve been focusing on where things went wrong, and how I can improve. I tried chasing him too much.
ONE currently has a flyweight grand prix. Other promotions, like Bellator, have high-profile tournaments. Had that crossed your mind?
I had no plans to enter any sort of tournament. I just wished to keep defending my belt and breaking more records.
Tell us about your camp for this fight.
I’ve trained in all areas with guys like Jeremy Kennedy and Demetrious Johnson. A lot of great guys are helping me get ready. My future is in God’s hands. More importantly, I have my friends and family. Fighting is just a small part of our lives. I’m thankful for my health. Now I’m off to Japan to capture my belt.
For more on “ONE Championship: A New Era,” visit the MMA Rumors section of the site.
