By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--Bibiano Fernandes stays as One bantamweight champion after doing a quick work of challenger Andrew Leone in the main event of One: Kings & Conquerors at the Cotai Arena in Macau on Saturday night.
Fernandes started the victory road after connecting on a knee strike to Leone's midsection before finishing it with a rear naked choke that force him to tap out barely 100 seconds into the contest.
“I feel great.... I am here to stay,” Fernandes said after the match. “I welcome all challenges.... I want to continue fighting. Whoever I have to fight, I will accept. I am always ready!”
Meanwhile, Fernandes' fellow Brazilian pug Adriano Moraes became the sole owner of the One flyweight belt after beating Kairat Akhmetov in the co-main event.
In the unification fight that was supposed to happen in Surabaya the week before but was instead inserted to the Macau fight card following the event postponement, Moraes' striking game turned out to be enough to spoil Akhmetov's comeback and avenge his loss to him in their first meeting.
“I’m not surprised,” Moraes simply reacted to his win.
It was Brazil's day in Macau as Leandro Issa and Leandro Ataides both scored victories as well.
Issa knocked out Toni Tauru in the second round of their affair, while Ataides turned back Michal Pasternak via unanimous decision.
The only Brazilian casualties in the fight card were Herbert Burns and Gilberto Galvao.
Galvao found himself at the wrong end of a Marcin Prachnio Round 1 knockout, while Burn succumbed to debuting Magomed Idrisov via unanimous decision.
On the other hand, Jomary Torres shocked Rika Ishige to salvage something from what had been an off night for the Philippines.
Torres escaped Ishige's armbar submission attempt in Round 1 and turned the tides in Round 2, forcing a rear naked choke that forced Ishige to tap out two minutes into the said round.
Joshua Pacio missed out on inching closer to another world title shot after falling to debuting Hayato Suzuki, tapping out on a rear naked choke a little over three minutes into their fight.
Eric Kelly, on the other hand, was knocked out by Kotetsu Boku with a little over 1:30 left in their fight.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
In the unification fight that was supposed to happen in Surabaya the week before but was instead inserted to the Macau fight card following the event postponement, Moraes' striking game turned out to be enough to spoil Akhmetov's comeback and avenge his loss to him in their first meeting.
“I’m not surprised,” Moraes simply reacted to his win.
It was Brazil's day in Macau as Leandro Issa and Leandro Ataides both scored victories as well.
Issa knocked out Toni Tauru in the second round of their affair, while Ataides turned back Michal Pasternak via unanimous decision.
The only Brazilian casualties in the fight card were Herbert Burns and Gilberto Galvao.
Galvao found himself at the wrong end of a Marcin Prachnio Round 1 knockout, while Burn succumbed to debuting Magomed Idrisov via unanimous decision.
On the other hand, Jomary Torres shocked Rika Ishige to salvage something from what had been an off night for the Philippines.
Torres escaped Ishige's armbar submission attempt in Round 1 and turned the tides in Round 2, forcing a rear naked choke that forced Ishige to tap out two minutes into the said round.
Joshua Pacio missed out on inching closer to another world title shot after falling to debuting Hayato Suzuki, tapping out on a rear naked choke a little over three minutes into their fight.
Eric Kelly, on the other hand, was knocked out by Kotetsu Boku with a little over 1:30 left in their fight.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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