DREAM Champ Bibiano Fernandes having Payment Issues...Still

While DREAM is moving forward with it’s 16th event, one man intended to be on the card is holding out for something better.

DREAM, one of the more popular Japan based organizations following the demise of Pride, is holding an event for September 25th in Nagoya, Japan–a card that was intended to be headlined by current featherweight (139 pounds) champion, Bibiano Fernandes.

According to MMAFighting.com, Fernandes was intended to make a title defense against Michihiro Omigawa, however declined to fight when he was still yet to be paid his purse from his last fight, a successful title defense against former DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen.

The bout took place in March, and according to an interview the Brazilian had done with Tatame (a Brazilian based website and magazine covering mixed martial arts) Fernandes hasn’t seen one dime yet. The promotion has had many issues in regards to paying their fighters accordingly, or even in a timely matter. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza has yet to see his compensation after his last match with Jason Miller in May of 2009, and neither has veteran Gary Goodridge since his drubbing defeat against former DREAM middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi in late 2009.

And while the obvious approach for the promotion would be “cut and run” should they not be able to come up with the money, Fernandes can hold one thing over DREAM exec’s heads: one more fight, which he is contractually obligated to, since earning the featherweight title following the tournament’s end in October of last year where he was crowned champion, after an 8-man tournament concluded when Bibiano defeated Japan’s own Hiroyuki Takaya, via split decision.

“Dream called me two days ago to offer me a fight at September 25, but I said I won’t fight until they pay me for my last fight,” Fernandes said while speaking with TATAME. “I have family, I have a wife and I can’t work without getting paid. I’ll only fight [for DREAM] again when they pay me for my last fight.”

Here’s to another DREAM fighter moonlighting as a Japan fighter by day, and a Strikeforce debutant by night.