Fernandes Unifies 135-Pound Title, Aoki Shines in Featherweight Debut at One FC 11

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Bibiano Fernandes stands tall across the Pacific.

Fernandes grounded Soo Chul Kim repeatedly, stymied him with a suffocating top game and more than held his own in the standup, as he became the undisputed One Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder with a unanimous decision in the One FC 11 “Total Domination” headliner on Friday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.

A three-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, Fernandes (15-3, 3-0 One FC) lured the 21-year-old South Korean into his comfort zone. What his strategy lacked in excitement and entertainment value, it more than made up for with effectiveness. Kim (7-5, 2-3 One FC) did what he could to alter the complexion of the fight, as he secured a takedown of his own and belted Fernandes with punches in close quarters in the fourth round. His efforts went for naught.

Fernandes, 33, has won 14 of his last 15 fights, including seven in a row.

In the co-main event, reigning One FC lightweight champion Shinya Aoki made a strong first impression at 145 pounds, as he cruised to a unanimous verdict over Cody Stevens.

Aoki (34-6, 3-0 One FC) -- who survived a brutal knee strike to the groin in round one -- delivered takedowns in all three rounds, twice advancing to full mount on the game but overmatched American.

In round three, the former Dream and Shooto titleholder transitioned to Stevens’ back and fished for a rear-naked choke. Stevens (11-6-1, 0-1 One FC) defended well, but victory belonged to Aoki.

Meanwhile, fast-rising Evolve MMA export Eddie Ng needed less than two minutes to submit Peter Davis with an armbar in a featured lightweight attraction. Davis (6-3, 3-1 One FC) conceded defeat 1:46 into round one.

Ng (7-1, 4-0 One FC) struck for a quick takedown, swept into full mount after being reversed and caught the armbar during a subsequent scramble. The 27-year-old has finished his last five foes, four of them inside one round, and emerged as one of One FC’s top commodities at 155 pounds.

Elsewhere, a rugged clinch game, superior standup and brutal ground-and-pound carried Pancrase veteran Tatsuya Mizuno to a unanimous decision over Rafael Silva in a middleweight showcase. The defeat halted a streak of seven consecutive wins for the 35-year-old Silva (39-14, 0-1 One FC), who had not lost in nearly three years.

Silva was the aggressor from the outset, but his Japanese counterpart turned the tables with some productive work in the clinch, a series of submission attempts and an effective sprawl. Mizuno (12-9, 1-1 One FC), though bloodied by an earlier exchange, was at his best in the third round, where he floored his Portuguese adversary with a head kick, followed up with soccer kicks and later mixed in some punches and hammerfists from top position.

Finally, Sylvain Potard (6-3, 1-0 One FC) knocked out Jake Butler (3-1, 3-1 One FC) with punches 42 seconds into the second round of their duel at 205 pounds; Shannon Wiratchai (3-1, 1-1 One FC) knocked out Mitch Chilson (4-2, 2-2 One FC) with soccer kicks and punches 1:52 into round one of their featherweight clash; Khim Dima (1-0, 1-0 One FC) dispatched Rene Catalan (0-2, 0-2 One FC) with elbows and punches 3:40 into the second round of their flyweight tilt; Sherilyn Lim (1-0, 1-0 One FC) captured a split verdict from Ann Osman (0-1, 0-1 One FC) in a women’s strawweight encounter; Juan Wen Jie (3-0, 1-0 One FC) wiped out Alex Lim (1-3, 0-1 One FC) with a left hook and follow-up blows 18 seconds into round two of their battle at 155 pounds; and Stephen Langdown (1-0, 1-0 One FC) stopped Marc Marcellinus (0-1, 0-1 One FC) on punches 1:49 into the first round of their bantamweight scrap.