Former ONE bantamweight champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes has only good things to say about his next opponent in #5-ranked Stephen “The Sniper” Loman.

Fernandes and Loman will tangle in a three-round bantamweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 4: Abbassov vs. Lee on 19 November at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and the winner could see himself compete for the ONE Bantamweight World Title in the near future.

Fernandes, a veteran of 29 fights, knows that he can’t relax against the surging Loman, who looks like the next big thing when it comes to Filipinos competing in ONE.

“Stephen Loman is a great athlete. He’s in great physical shape, he’s a fighter who hits and moves all the time. He kicks a lot, throws overhands with his left hand, and moves a lot in the cage. He’s an excellent fighter,” Fernandes said.

• MMA: Loman set for clash with Bibiano in November

While Fernandes praised Loman, he sent a scathing warning to the Team Lakay star as well.

“On the day of the fight, I will be ready to face him. He’s a good athlete, and he can even beat me, but I’ll tell you something: He won’t win easily. It will be a war,” he said.

“The Flash” knows all about Team Lakay’s signature wushu striking, especially since the biggest rival he’s had – Kevin Belingon – hails from the same camp.

While he’s under no illusion that he’s going to dominate Loman on the feet, Fernandes is quite confident with his own striking.

“My striking has evolved a lot. He has a very good striking game, he has a dangerous left hand, he works well with his right hand hooks, and his straight with his left hand. I understand his game. He’s a dangerous guy, and he moves a lot,” he said.

• MMA: Loman gets his wish, vows to test self vs Fernandes

At the end of the day, Fernandes will lean on one thing to overcome this young, hungry challenger – his ground game.

“I’m sure my grappling is far superior to his grappling. I’m sure he’s working hard not to be taken down, but I’m prepared and focused for this fight,” he said.

“I’m training a lot on my striking and my ground game. I’m going to test his grappling, his wrestling, and his striking. I’m sure I’ll have a good fight against him. If he messes up, I’ll finish him.”