Mixed Martial Arts | Bibiano Fernandes retains Bantamweight World Champion title
Bibiano Fernandes successfully defended his title as ONE Bantamweight World Champion on Saturday in the main event of the “Kings and Conquerors” show at the Cotai Arena at The Venetian Macao.
Featuring a top cast of some of the best in local and international martial arts, the Brazilian-born Fernandes defeated contestant American Andrew Leone to reclaim the title and set an unprecedented ONE Championship record of seven successful title defences, remaining unbeaten in the promotion.
The defending champion rushed his opponent from the outset of the fight, making quick work of Andrew Leone and submitting the American challenger with a rear-naked choke in the first frame of the clash.
Leone’s death knell sounded after Fernandes hammered a knee to the American’s midsection that slumped him to the mat. The 37-year-old Brazilian authored the final sequence to defeat his opponent, thereby retaining the prestigious gold-plated strap securely fastened around his waist.
“I feel great. I feel great, thank you Macao for having me […] I am here to stay,” the defending champion said, according to a press release issued by the event organizer. “I welcome all challenges. […] I want to continue fighting. Whoever I have to fight, I will accept. I am always ready!”
Separately, another Brazilian, Adriano Moraes, defeated Kazakhstan’s Kairat Akhmetov to become the undisputed ONE Flyweight World Champion. The decision was made following a five-round unanimous vote.
Moraes, who previously held the interim title, controlled the majority of the action with his grappling, while defending champion Akhmetov tried his best to fend off the Brazilian’s advances with his wrestling. Ultimately it was the Brazilian who got the better of the exchanges and landed the harder blows.
All three judges scored the bout in favor of Moraes, who unifies the flyweight titles to become the undisputed king of the division.
According to the press release, Adriano Moraes stated: “I’m not surprised [with the victory]. Thank you very much, one more time, for the opportunity, ONE Championship […] I’m very grateful.”
Other Brazilians contesting Saturday night’s event included Leandro Issa, a blackbelt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, who stopped Finnish martial artist Toni Tauru inside of two rounds.
Carrying his dominant momentum from the first round to the second, Issa staggered the former world title challenger and drove him to the mat with a high-impact slam. Several hard-hitting blows to Tauru prompted seasoned referee Yuji Shimada to intervene and call for a halt to the contest.
A fourth Brazilian, Leandro Ataides, collided with Polish combatant Michal Pasternak in a battle of former world title contenders. With both men seeking to vie for gold once more, the two employed efficient fighting strategies from bell to bell, but Ataides was eventually declared the victor by way of unanimous decision.
