Experience overcame youth.
Brazilian standout Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes (20-3) made his sixth successful defense of the ONE Bantamweight World Champion, bucking a brave stand by Filipino-Australian Reece “Lightning” McLaren (9-4) in the co-main event of ONE Championship: Age of Domination, Friday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The champion immediately scored three takedowns, right in the opening frame in a one-sided round.
Wanting to keep distance, the 25-year-old grappler tried to keep the match-up standing in the second round. A short elbow by McLaren clipped Fernandes with three minutes and 30 seconds in the round, but the Brazilian was able to recover, gaining McLaren’s back. “The Flash” threw at least 10 sharp elbows right on the left shoulder of the challenger to close out the round.
A left straight by McLaren followed by a left head kick stunned the champion in the opening minute of the third canto, resulting in a bloody nose. Stunned, Fernandes went for overhand rights but connected with none. McLaren was loose in the round. The champion, who suffered a huge cut at the bridge of his nose, tried to turn it up but could not catch the man they call Lightning.
“I feel great although I have a broken nose or broken leg. It doesn’t matter to me,” he said about the injury he suffered.
The round break did favors for the champion. Able to negate the youth of McLaren by showing his cage generalship. He was able to rock McLaren a couple of times during the round.
After 20 minutes, the two fighters tried to slug it out. However, fatigue had set in on both fighters as their strikes bore little power. With 30 seconds to go, the two warriors went all out with McLaren throwing everything he could until the final bell had sounded.
One judge scored the fight in favor of McLaren, while the other two saw it in favor of the champion.
“Thank you so much Manila for supporting me,” added Fernandes, who is now 5-0 in Manila.
ONE Championship: Age of Domination co-main event result
December 2, 2016 – SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City
ONE Bantamweight World Championship: Bibiano Fernandes def. Reece McLaren via Split Decision to retain championship
