By Kelsey Mowatt
While more-and-more fighters previously contracted to Japanese promotions continue to head to North America, Dream’s former featherweight champion Bibiano Fernandes, is still hopeful his next bout will take place on the island nation. Although speculation remains rampant as to what the future holds for reportedly, financially strapped promotions like Dream, Fernandes informed FCF that officials tied to the organization have approached him about possibly fighting this summer.
“I’m still waiting for Dream,” Fernandes said while discussing when he may fight next. “I don’t know what’s going on with that, but I still have two fights on my contract with them. I still fight for Dream; I’m going to wait and see what happens...my manager says that Dream is probably going to keep going but the name might change. So maybe a new company will buy Dream and I’ll go fight in June.”
FCF contacted Fernandes’ manager Bill Mahood, who reported that while nothing is confirmed, they’re hopeful a fight will materialize for the renowned BJJ practitioner in Japan later this year.
“In Japan you’re always working through intermediaries,” said Mahood, who also relayed that Fernandes was paid for his New Year’s Eve bout with Hiroyuki Takaya. “So our intermediary has been talking and such, and there has been some talk of this summer. The nice thing about Dream is that they do work with organizations like Strikeforce and Bellator, so that if, and this isn’t something we’ve talked about yet, but if Dream isn’t promoting and a guy needs a fight, at least there’s that opportunity. It’s a good option.”
Despite the fact that half of 2011 could unfold before Fernandes fights again, the featherweight doesn’t appear to be overly concerned about the potential layoff.
“Maybe I’ll go fight in June, maybe, I’ll just wait,” said the 30 year-old-fighter, who continues to reside in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland region. “It’s okay, I’m training, taking care of my baby, my son, training with Black Mamba (Kultar Gill) a little bit, I went and trained with Matt Hume a little bit, that’s it.”
“I’m very easy going,” Fernandes added. “MMA for me is fun, but I don’t go crazy because jiu-jitsu is fun for me too. Something happens I’ll go teach jiu-jitsu; I have other options, I’m not going to get stressed out. If something happens maybe I’ll go fight for another organization you know what I mean?”
There is little question that despite the fact Fernandes is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Takaya, the former Dream champion would likely have little trouble finding work with a new promotion, if indeed his tenure fighting in Japan comes to an end. The New Year’s Eve defeat marked the first time Fernandes had lost since 2007, ending a seven fight winning streak that include wins over notable names like Masakazu Imanari, Joe Warren, Joachim Hansen and the aforementioned Takaya.
“If people call me and want to do a deal for me to come fight for Strikeforce, and it’s a good deal, for sure,” Fernandes noted. “If Dream does close for sure I’d go there, but we’ll have to see what happens.”
Recently there have been reports stating that Takaya may also be headed to compete in North America, to fight under the Strikeforce banner like fellow countrymen Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri. While right now talk of a third bout between Fernandes and Takaya seems to be just that, the Brazilian fighter concedes he would be interested in facing the Dream champ in a rubber match.
“Oh for sure,” said Fernandes, who was very complimentary towards the veteran while discussing a possible third bout. “I’ll fight anybody; if he wants to come fight again for sure, but I’m not going to run around saying ‘please, I want to fight, I want to fight one more,’ you know what I mean? But if he comes, let’s do it. I watched the last fight and he did very well, it was a close fight, but he didn’t beat me, I beat myself.”
“One day you win, one day you lose,” Fernandes added, “but the most important thing in life is to be happy.”
