Bibiano Fernandes (photo via ONE)

By FCF Staff

Officially speaking, Bibiano Fernandes’ lengthy run as ONE’s bantamweight champ was ended last week, but the renowned fighter doesn’t believe he truly lost to Kevin Belingon.

Fernandes faced Belingon at ONE’s “Heart of the Lion” card and lost the bout via split decision. It marked the first time since 2010 what Fernandes had been defeated. In 2016, Fernandes also fought Belingon and he submitted him in the opening round.

Since the defeat, Fernandes spoke with MMA Fighting, and while doing so the 38-year-old reported this:

“I will fight him,” Fernandes said. “It’s in my contract. If I lost the belt, we would automatically do a rematch. I had that in my contract way before this fight. Especially in a loss like this, I’m glad I have this clause.”

“If I had lost, if he had submitted me or broke me, he’s the champion, leave it be,” Fernandes said. “But the way it was, I didn’t lose the fight. We have to do a rematch. Honestly, I don’t feel I lost that fight, so my conscience is very clear. I didn’t lose that fight. I didn’t lose to Kevin. I lost to the judges, but not to Kevin.”

Belingon, meanwhile, has now won 7 straight bout since his aforementioned loss to Fernandes.