When former 11-time ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes steps into the Circle this Friday, November 18, he will be answering plenty of questions. Ahead of his MMA showdown with surging Filipino knockout artist Stephen “The Sniper” Loman at ONE on Prime Video 4, many fans are wondering if “The Flash,” who ruled the promotion’s bantamweight division for nearly a decade, still has what it takes to compete at the elite level.

Those questions aren’t without merit. In his last outing this past March, John Lineker dethroned Fernandes, becoming the first person to knock him out in more than 15 years.

Bibiano Fernandes idolizes greats like Anderson Silva and wants to continue

That loss, along with the Brazilian’s relatively advanced age, has led many to wonder if retirement could be around the corner. But according to Fernandes, he’s not planning to hang up the 4-ounce gloves any time soon.

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“I am 42 years old, but with a body of 30 and a very healthy mind. I take good care of my body and my mind. As long as my body and mind are fine, I will keep fighting,” he said. 

After Knockout Loss to John Lineker, Bibiano Fernandes Ready for War Against Stephan Loman

“I don’t see this as my last fight. Randy Couture fought until he was 48. Anderson Silva is 47 years old and still fighting, so I think I still have a lot of wood to burn. The Bibiano era will not stop here.”

A win at ONE on Prime Video 4 would do wonders for Fernandes, the most dominant titleholder in ONE Championship history.

Fernandes expresses his desire to get the belt back

The winner of 10 straight fights, including two sensational battles inside the Circle, Loman is an elite talent in every sense of the word.

With a victory, Fernandes could prove to fans across the planet that he is still an elite MMA fighter. Whether or not that leads to an instant ONE Bantamweight World Title shot remains to be seen, but “The Flash” is confident he’ll keep winning and once again have 26 pounds of gold wrapped around his waist in the near future.

“Right now, I’m training and working,” the Brazilian said. 

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“If the belt wants me back, I’ll take it back. And I think [the belt] likes me a lot. He had several opportunities to leave me, but everyone knows what happened. The belt doesn’t want to let go of me, it likes me. And if he wants me back, I’ll get him back.”