Stephen Loman Leaps To No. 2 In ONE Bantamweight Rankings

KEY POINTS

Stephen Loman is now ranked No. 2 in the bantamweight division
The Team Lakay standout is 3-0 in ONE Championship
Loman could face Fabricio Andrade for the world title later this year

Fabricio Andrade may have had his coronation as the undisputed ONE bantamweight champion last February 25th, but it also paved the way for the anointing of a potential contender who will challenge him for the intricately-crafted belt in the not-so-distant future.

His phenomenal display of grit and strength to beat John Lineker for the then-vacant world title in their rematch at ONE Fight Night 7 instigated a shakeup within the weight class, with Stephen Loman moving up a notch higher in the Top Five to occupy the No. 2 seat—per the updated divisional rankings released by ONE Championship on Monday, March 6.

Meanwhile, Lineker landed on the No. 1 spot. On the other hand, ex-Shooto bantamweight titleholder Shoko Sato returned to the standings at No. 5.

The 27-year-old Filipino made his official entry into the rankings with a first-round demolition of Yusup Saadulaev in his December 2021 promotional debut.

He then solidified his stature as a Top Five mainstay by cruising to a crystal-clear unanimous decision victory over Sato in March 2022.

Seven months later, "The Sniper" laid claim to the biggest win of his professional career yet by dominating Bibiano Fernandes—the former longtime bantamweight kingpin—over the course of three rounds to sweep the three scorecards.

With the latest development in the bantamweight bracket, Loman is now in pole position to get a date with Andrade, who called out the Team Lakay member in his post-fight interview after defeating Lineker.

"You all know we got a contender in line. Loman, you want this? Come get it," the Brazilian stated.

It did not take too long for Loman to respond to Andrade.

"I'd say, congratulations on the win. He performed well. I am ready to accept his challenge and I would love to fight him anytime, anywhere," Loman said.

ONE Championship's official athlete rankings are determined by an independent panel of sports media members and industry experts.

Following each live event, the panel ranks the fighters based on their most recent performances and the quality of competition.

As it stands, the bantamweight picture is as follows: