While waiting for his next fight in ONE Championship, Team Lakay's Stephen Loman is on a scouting mission for the upcoming all-Brazilian showdown between reigning bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes and top contender John Lineker.
And if Loman has to pick one winner between two bantamweight stars, the Team Lakay stalwart is sticking with Fernandes when the two Brazilian fighters clash in ONE: Lights Out on March 11 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
"I think his grappling will be superior. We also saw in his past fights that he has a complete skill set. He can strike, and we all know how good he is at jiu-jitsu," said Loman. "If Bibiano gets his rhythm early in the match, he’ll submit Lineker."
Record-wise, Fernandes indeed scored a total of nine submissions with his 24-4 mixed martial arts record.
Fernandes, nicknamed the "Hands of Stone," on the other hand, has 16 knockouts from his seasoned 34-9 card.
All eyes are now on both fighters as this will dictate the future of the bantamweight division, with the Top 5 composed of Lineker, Kwon Won Il, Loman, Fabricio Andrade, and Kevin Belingon, also of Team Lakay.
That said, Loman is looking forward for Fernandes to come up with a perfect game plan and take the match down the canvas.
For Lineker, Loman said, finding the distance would be the key for him to capitalize on his striking prowess.
"If he can find his range, and pick his shots from a distance, there’s also a chance that he knocks out Bibiano. He’s a veteran in the game as well. I guess we’ll see what gives," added the No. 3 bantamweight contender.
While he's a spectator for now, Loman earlier expressed to duel No. 2 ranked South Korean fighter Kwon for his next match.