ENTER THE FLASH. Is Bibiano Fernandes the best bantamweight in the world? He could very well be. (Photo : ONE Championship)
Brazil's Bibiano "The Flash" Fernandes may not be the most popular bantamweight in the world, but he certainly is one of the best, regardless of the promotion. Fernandes has enjoyed a great career so far, putting together a solid 19-3 pro MMA record. He lost to UFC star Urijah Faber early in his career, but has developed into a seasoned fighter since.
He hasn't lost a bout since 2010 and currently has wins over some of the toughest fighters in Asia, all the while looking unstoppable in the process.
"If fans like the way I fight, I'm happy," said Fernandes. "But I fight the way I fight because I want to take care of my family. They are the most important to me. That's why I always have to be at my very best."
If being the very best means dominating each and every foe you've faced, then Fernandes is right in this regard.
A quick glance at most bantamweight rankings and you'll notice it's packed with UFC fighters, but isn't ONE Championship's bantamweight kingpin worthy of being in the mix?
If you've seen the way Fernandes handles his opponents, the easy answer would be a resounding 'Yes.'
Fernandes has the physical tools to steamroll through anyone that's in the cage with him. He has more than 10 years of professional MMA experience under his belt. He's considered a veteran in the sport and his experience is one of the key ingredients to his success.
When ONE Championship, Asia's largest sports media property, picked up Fernandes in 2012, the organization knew it had found something special, a fighter that would rule his division no matter who he was put up against.
True enough, he has easily beaten his fare share of wrestlers, grapplers and strikers, all seemingly effortlessly.
Yet despite the competition growing fiercer by the day, Fernandes remains unrattled, confident of victory and looking to please fans each time he takes the stage.
"I fight because I love the competition. I love testing myself and my skills. The way I fight, I put my life on the line," said Fernandes, ONE Bantamweight World Champion. "I fight for my family, my country and my pride."
ONE Championship has put Bibiano up against the best in the region, including the likes of Soo Chul Kim, Masakatsu Ueda and highly-regarded young Korean prospect Dae Hwan Kim. Recently, he successfully defended his title against the Philippines' Kevin Belingon.
Fernandes beat them all with relative ease and finesse. True fans of MMA will appreciate Fernandes' very technical style.
"I don't live to be the best in the world, that doesn't matter to me," said Fernandes.
"To me, all that matters is what I do inside the cage and how I represent myself as champion."
