Stephen Loman knows his defeat to John Lineker at ONE Fight Night 14 might have made life a little more difficult for him as he targets a career-first MMA world title. Despite that added challenge, the Filipino warrior remains just as motivated to fight his way to the top.

After piecing together three victories against elite opposition – Yusup Saadulaev, Shoko Sato, and Bibiano Fernandes – the No.2-ranked bantamweight contender was tasked to take on ‘Hands of Stone’ on September 29, a match that would have likely determined Fabricio Andrade’s first task as a divisional king.

But fortune wasn’t on his side on fight night inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium as the Brazilian veteran put in one of his best displays to hand the Team Lakay affiliate a first promotional loss.

Stephen Loman would like to run it back to prove that he could put up a far better fight against the American Top Team athlete. If he doesn’t get that opportunity, ‘The Sniper’ admits he’ll happily take on any other opponent that comes in between his way of progress.

Speaking to The MMA Superfan, the 28-year-old said:

“I didn’t get the win, but I will go back to the drawing board. I’m going to beat whoever I need to beat so I can keep my place in the rankings.”

Watch the full interview here:

Staying optimistic is the best way for him to overcome the setback, after all.

Even if he does struggle to regain some confidence, Stephen Loman can look back at his three victories on the global stage of ONE Championship to give him some boost.

Moreover, with reputable warriors and a dedicated head coach ready to help him at Team Lakay, a victory should be near inevitable for the bantamweight star before he returns for a fifth fight.

Catch his last match against Lineker at ONE Fight Night 14 via replay on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel. North American fans with an active subscription can catch the replay via Amazon Prime Video.