Current ONE Championship lightweight and featherweight title holder Martin Nguyen (10-1 MMA) moved down in weight to challenge Bibiano Fernandes for the promotions bantamweight title in the headliner of today’s “ONE Championship 68: Ill Will” event in Bangkok, Thailand.
After four rounds of closely contested action, it appeared that today’s historic Martin Nguyen vs. Bibiano Fernandes super-fight would be decided by whichever man could win the fifth and final round of action.
That is when the long-time ONE bantamweight champion, Fernandes, took over by scoring a huge knockdown of Nguyen in round five.
The biggest punch of the fight for Bibiano Fernandes. This may have been the deciding moment. Fernandes wins a split decision and defends his title. #onechampionship pic.twitter.com/6HsR95Ix3u
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) March 24, 2018
Martin was able to survive the shot but the last minute knockdown likely clinched the fight for Bibiano in the eyes of the judges.
In the end, Martin Nguyen fell just short of becoming the first concurrent three-weight champion in mixed martial arts history as Bibiano Fernandes was awarded the split-decision victory from the judges in attendance.
The victory marked Fernandes’ ninth-straight title defense which prompted the Brazilian to tout himself as “The best bantamweight in the world”.
What did you think of the today’s ONE Championship super-fight? Sound off PENN Nation!