Emmanuela Oliveira 
The main event of ADXC 5, scheduled to take place on August 2 in Abu Dhabi, will pit two MMA fighters, Bibiano Fernandes and Urijah Faber, against each other in a grappling match. Bibiano, Brazilian fighter, has a long history of titles. In Jiu-Jitsu, he was a three-time IBJJF black-belt world champion and in mixed martial arts, he defended a long reign in ONE FC and Dream. Urijah Faber, a former UFC featherweight champion, is also a renowned name in MMA.
This is not the first time the two will face each other in the cage. In an interview to VF Comunica, Bibiano Fernandes celebrated the opportunity to be in the main event of the fifth edition of ADXC against an opponent he faced in 2006, when he still had no experience in MMA. Urijah already had 17 fights in the sport on his record, compared to just one for Fernandes. Now, he says that both will fight on equal terms.
“The event’s matchmaker contacted me on Instagram, saying they were interested in me for an ADXC event, to face Urijah Faber. I accepted right away and we started to arrange the fight, a negotiation that took about three days. Back then I fought Urijah, he had 17 MMA fights and I only had one. So now it’s going to be evenly matched. I’m really happy to be in the main event of the night against Faber.”.
Bibiano Fernandes is familiar with Faber’s fighting style and knows how to neutralize him
To beat Urijah this time, Bibiano intends to neutralize him, knowing all the skills of Faber, an experienced wrestler with a good level of Jiu-Jitsu. According to “The Flash”, it is necessary to be careful with the American’s guillotine attacks, which can surprise.
“He’s a wrestler who also does a lot of Jiu-Jitsu. He’s a strong guy, very explosive, who escapes from the back positions well. It’s a game of patience, and he has a good guillotine as well. You have to be careful with him, but his base is wrestling.”.
At 44 years old, the Jiu-Jitsu black-belt says that it takes determination to stay active in training, always seeking technical, physical and mental improvement. After all, he has spent years working in a sport that usually retires its athletes early. However, for Bibiano, staying active is not a problem.
“My main goal today is to keep training, seeking to improve my technical and mental skills. I need a good mind to continue doing what I’ve been doing for a long time. I was champion 11 times in ONE FC, I was champion of Dream several times, world champion, and there are always new challenges to seek. If you are at peace with yourself, things will come naturally.”.
The former ONE FC champion camp is being held at his own gym, in Canada
Bibiano Fernandes currently has the privilege of training for ADXC at his own gym, the Flash Academy, located in Canada. Always humble, Bibiano says he does not consider himself an idol and his only difference is his effort and his greater desire to win. “I do not consider myself, for example, as an Ayrton Senna of sports. I am Bibiano Fernandes, a human being who always wants to grow in sports and in life.”.
“Today I have my own gym and my students who put pressure on me. What’s special about this is that I’m doing the camp at my gym. André Galvão (leader of Atos) even invited me to train, I thanked him and said that I prefer to train at my gym, I have very good wrestling and grappling students too.”.
