Kevin Belingon Wants a Knockout Win Against Bibiano Fernandes

After a disqualification loss at ONE: A NEW ERA, a split decision in November last year, and another loss via submission in 2016, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is looking for a decisive finish in his match against Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes and reclaim his glory at ONE: CENTURY on 13 October in Japan.

“It is hard to tell how it will end, but I’m looking for a knockout so that all talks will be settled,” Belingon said. 

“It’s hard to leave this to the judges because there would be doubts there. I have to get that knockout win.”

In the last bout against the 39-year old Brazilian, Belingon was confident he would be able to defend his title with his powerful strikes. Unfortunately, things went south because of an accidental elbow to the back of Bibiano’s head. In the upcoming fourth bout, Belingon is confident that nothing can stop him from taking back his title.

“More than ever, I am familiar with Bibiano – his style, the way he moves. I already know what to expect and what I’ll do in our fourth match,” he said.

“For our game plan, I’m leaving it to coach Mark Sangiao so I can effectively counter his striking and takedowns.”

Belingon believes that he needs to restore order after his Team Lakay teammates lost their titles in their respective divisions. When he enters the Circle again at the Ryogoku Kokugikan

in Tokyo, Japan, he will draw inspiration from Joshua “The Passion” Pacio’s victorious title rematch and use that as his own motivation to succeed.

“This is so important for us. If we get the belt back, I think it will prove that we’re number one in Asia,” said the 31-year-old. 

“I am inspired by Joshua because he got his belt back. Now I have to get mine back and bring it home to Baguio.”

Team Lakay’s Joshua Pacio Driven By Hunger To Recapture World Title

If there is one thing that Joshua “The Passion” Pacio wants to regain heading into his rematch with ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta, it is his never-say-die mindset in a crucial bout.

Pacio admitted that he lost a bit of confidence in their first outing, and he vows to showcase that when they go at it again in the co-main event of ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, set for 12 April at the 20,000-capacity Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

“Now I need to focus even more, I need to be more confident,” he said.

“From what I saw in our last bout, my confidence was really low, and now I need to be more confident than ever.”

Saruta put together a tremendous performance, scoring a monumental upset of Pacio to capture the ONE Strawweight World Championship.

The Japanese phenom was relentless with his chain wrestling, taking Pacio down on numerous occasions while trading powerful combinations on the feet.

Throughout five action-packed rounds, both Saruta and Pacio put forth their best effort. In the end, it was Saruta who was able to garner two of the three judges’ nods to win by split decision.

Although Pacio truly believes that he won the first contest, the 23-year-old Team Lakay standout understands where the judges are coming from and it is one of his key takeaways from his first meeting with Saruta.

“I hope to showcase the things that I wasn’t able to show last January,” he stated.

The difference for Pacio now is he comes in as a hungry challenger, who is eager to prove himself as a mixed martial arts competitor.

“I need to be more aggressive, especially being the challenger. I’m hungry to prove myself again and bounce back,” he declared.

Now that he gets his rematch, in his home country nonetheless, Pacio is certainly fueled to get back to the top of his division and give the hometown crowd something to cheer about.

There is pressure, especially with the hopes of the country resting on his shoulders. But rest assured, his drive and willingness to win far outweighs that.  

“It’s pretty much the same. I’m excited and even more motivated because the rematch will happen here in the Philippines,” Pacio shared.

“I must admit that there’s a bit of an added pressure on my part to perform, but at the same time, the hunger and the will to win far outweighs that.”

ADDITIONAL BOUTS ANNOUNCED FOR ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR IN MANILA ON 12 APRIL

18 March 2019 – Manila, Philippines: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced additional bouts for ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR, which is set to take place at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on 12 April. Once again, the absolute best in local and international martial arts talent will grace the ONE Championship stage and showcase their world-class skills.

In the main event, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Vietnam and Australia will defend his title against former ONE World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia. 

Also, in the co-main event, a highly-anticipated rematch takes place when former ONE World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines challenges reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta of Japan.

Ticket information for ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR is available at www.onefc.com.

Reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen is back in action against former ONE World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa.

The 29-year-old Nguyen has become one of the most prolific Asian martial arts talents over the past few years, winning seven of his last nine contests. In 2015, he embarked on an unprecedented six-bout winning streak. Along the way, he captured both the ONE Featherweight and ONE Lightweight World Titles to become a simultaneous two-division ONE World Champion.

After falling to injury, however, Nguyen was prompted to vacate the lightweight belt in September 2018. Now, with Nguyen fully recovered, the Vietnamese-Australian sensation is slated to make his much-awaited return to action against the dangerous veteran Jadambaa.

Jadambaa burst onto the ONE Championship stage in May 2014 by defeating former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario of the Philippines. He has since been a winner of six of his last eight contests. In 2014, he captured the ONE Featherweight World Title with a victory over Koji Oishi. Over the years, Jadambaa has defeated some of ONE Championship’s biggest names, with notable victories coming over Kotetsu Boku, Kazuki Tokudome, and Eric and Edward Kelly.

Having been on a collision course, Nguyen and Jadambaa will meet for the first time in the main event of ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR. This five-round World Title tiff promises loads of action and fireworks.

In the co-main event of the evening, the Philippines’ Joshua “The Passion” Pacio looks to exact revenge over former conqueror Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta of Japan. Saruta scored a monumental upset when he defeated Pacio via razor-thin split decision at ONE: ETERNAL GLORY last January to capture the ONE Strawweight World Title. 

After Pacio’s initial opponent, Hayato Suzuki, was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury, it was Saruta who was tapped to take his place in the main event opposite the Filipino.

Using his world-class striking and grappling skills, Saruta put together a comprehensive performance to capture the belt. However, the extremely close result was enough to warrant an immediate rematch between the two. Now, Pacio and Saruta have the chance to settle the score once and for all to determine who is the true king of the talent-filled strawweight division.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Leandro “Brodinho” Issa of Brazil is back to take on former CKF Champion Fu Chang Xin of China.

Issa, who represents Evolve in Singapore, is a winner of three of his last four bouts, which includes two exciting finishes. Meanwhile, Fu, who is a boxing, wrestling, and taekwondo specialist, has won his last five bouts, which includes three stoppages. The two streaking martial artists are on a collision course and should provide fans with an intriguing match-up.

Dutch-Moroccan kickboxer Ibrahim “Mr. Cool” El Bouni looks to put himself back on the right track when he takes on Andrei “Mister KO” Stoica of Romania.

El Bouni split his first two appearances for the promotion but has impressed in both outings with his world-class striking skills. The former A1WCC Kickboxing World Champion aims to make 2019 a year to remember, starting off by taking on a dangerous knockout artist.

Stoica recently made his ONE Super Series debut at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR. The former SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight World Champion is known for his power and technique, as well as his warrior spirit. Stoica looks to make a statement against “Mr. Cool” in his return.

Brazilian mixed martial arts veteran Luis “Sapo” Santos is back in action against undefeated American welterweight James Nakashima.

The 39-year-old Santos recently scored a scintillating first-round knockout victory over Japan’s Daichi Abe, which brought him back into the World Title mix. Santos is known for his brute strength and undeniable power. He will be bringing these qualities into the cage once more when he squares off with his next opponent.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Nakashima has built a career around his well-calculated and intelligent bout strategies, which has brought him victory every time he has stepped into the cage. It will be no different against Santos, whom Nakashima plans to dominate from the first round to the last.

Filipino martial arts veteran Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly will take on South Korean grappler Sung Jong Lee.

Kelly, a Philippine Featherweight Champion, is well-versed in both the striking and grappling arts. A senior member of the famed Team Lakay of Baguio City, Kelly is best known for his 21-second knockout victory over Cambodia’s Meas Meul in January 2018. He aims for the same result against Lee.

Lee is a NAGA No-Gi Grappling Champion, and one of the craftiest submission artists in the ONE featherweight division. A representative of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu in his native Korea, Lee will put his mat skills to the test against a world-class wushu champion in Kelly.

In a ONE Super Series Kickboxing contest, Andre “The Giant” Meunier of Australia takes on Anderson “Braddock” Silva of Brazil. Meunier, a four-time Kickboxing World Champion, will welcome Silva to ONE Championship, as the latter makes his debut for the promotion.

Former ONE World Title contender Eric “The Natural” Kelly of the Philippines is looking to make a lasting impression when he returns to action to face China’s Tang Kai.

Kelly had a blazing start to his mixed martial arts career by winning his first 12 professional bouts. In February 2013, he competed for the inaugural ONE Featherweight World Title, falling short against Filipino compatriot Honorio Banario. A year later, Kelly came back and put together the performance of a lifetime when he submitted tough Australian Rob Lisita. Now after revitalizing his training camp, Kelly looks to reignite his career against Tang.

Tang, a WBK Tournament Champion, is a boxing stylist known for his fast hands and aggressiveness. The Dragon Warrior Shanghai representative is a winner of his last four bouts, all of which have ended in explosive knockouts. Against a veteran like Kelly, Tang’s striking skills will be put to the ultimate test.

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest, Thai legend and former MTGP Welterweight World Champion Saemapetch Fairtex takes on former Lion Fight Lightweight World Champion Ognjen Topic. Both Saemapetch and Topic are top contenders in ONE Super Series, and the two will figure in a highly-anticipated bantamweight showdown.

Singaporean flyweight prospect Niko Soe is set to take on freestyle wrestler Eko Roni Saputra of Indonesia. Soe is a winner of his last two outings, and he aims for his third straight victory against Saputra, who is making his mixed martial arts debut.

In a ONE Super Series Muay Thai contest, the legendary Lerdsila PhuketTopTeam of Thailand will showcase his fistic talents against Japan’s Kohei “Momotaro” Kodera. 

Kodera, a former WBC Muay Thai International Champion, just recently scored a thrilling three-round unanimous decision victory over Kenny Tse at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR. Lerdsila, on the other hand, is an absolute legend in Muay Thai with over 200 professional bouts. Kodera and Lerdsila promise to produce fireworks for fans in attendance at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Vietnamese-American female atomweight contender Bi “Killer Bee” Nguyen is set to make her much-awaited ONE Championship debut opposite Indonesia’s Dwi Ani Retno Wulan.

Nguyen made her foray into mixed martial arts in 2014, winning four of her five matches in the amateur ranks in impressive fashion. She turned professional in 2016, and she immediately racked up three straight victories to kick off her career. Now, “Killer Bee” directs her career path to ONE Championship, where she is set to make her promotional debut. 

Wulan, an Indonesian Muay Thai Champion, made her professional mixed martial arts debut just last November, defeating Putri Padmi by unanimous decision. She looks to build on her momentum by defeating “Killer Bee” in Manila.

Finally, National Kyokushin Karate Champion Ramon “The Bicolano” Gonzales of the Philippines and Akihiro “Superjap” Fujisawa of Japan will square off in a three-round strawweight contest.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Kevin Belingon Has Nothing But Respect for Bibiano Fernandes

Reigning and defending ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon and Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes will meet for a third time at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan on 31 March at ONE: A NEW ERA in a rubber match for Belingon’s bantamweight strap.

“The Silencer” first challenged the Brazilian back in January 2016 for the title, but failed in his bid to capture gold as he was forced to tap in the first round via Kimura. Belingon refused to accept his fate, so he began the long journey back to the top by winning six straight bouts against the promotion’s top contenders.

Belingon’s streak earned him another chance to meet Fernandes in a rematch last November, and this time, his hard work proved enough for him be crowned the undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion by a razor thin margin.

“It feels good to be on such a nice little win streak. It just goes to show that my hard work and long hours at the gym is paying off. That’s all we really want out of training, is for the hard work to show,” Belingon said.

“I feel as confident now as I have ever been. Heading into my next bout, a trilogy bout against Bibiano [Fernandes], this is super important. I have to be at my best in this next bout.”

Belingon is not taking this trilogy bout lightly as he clearly recalls how the AMC Pankration representative gave him one of the most unforgettable 25 minutes of his life. This made Belingon respect and acknowledge his opponent even more.

“I have all the respect in the world for Bibiano,” Belingon said.

“He is a tremendous athlete and he has all the skills to prove just that. He is also an amazing strategist and very smart in the cage. He’s a veteran and it is very hard to deal with that experience. He put up a great performance last time and made it difficult for me to get any sort of advantage.”

Belingon is confident he can defend his ONE Bantamweight World Title successfully. This is the result of hard work and sacrifice for the past three years. But “The Silencer” knows all too well that this match will be the toughest of all their encounters so far.

After all, Belingon is about to face a legendary World Champion whom he holds in high regard.

“Everything that I got, I had to work hard for,” Belingon concluded.

“I can see why he is so well-respected and revered. He’s a legendary World Champion after all. But I was able to show him also how much I have improved, which is why I got the victory.”

COMPLETE CARD ANNOUNCED FOR ONE: REIGN OF VALOR ON 8 MARCH IN YANGON

Yangon, Myanmar: The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced the complete card for ONE: REIGN OF VALOR, set for the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium on Friday, 8 March. In the main event, reigning ONE Welterweight World Champion Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam of Sweden will make the first defense of his ONE World Title against Georgiy “Knight” Kichigin of Kazakhstan. Ticket information for ONE: REIGN OF VALOR is available at www.onefc.com. Kadestam captured the vacant ONE Welterweight World Championship with a stunning fifth-round knockout of previously unbeaten American Tyler McGuire last November. “The Bandit” took the welterweight throne by showcasing his dynamic striking skills, and now he looks to make his first ONE World Title defense against the veteran Kichigin. Kichigin is a grappling specialist and a Fight Nights Global Welterweight Champion who hails from Almaty, Kazakhstan. He has amassed a stellar 20-5 professional mixed martial arts record, of which 16 victories have come by submission. “Knight” is currently riding an impressive 14-bout win streak, having not lost a match since November 2014. Now, he makes his way to ONE Championship to challenge Kadestam for the ONE Welterweight World Title. In the co-main event, rising star Phoe “Bushido” Thaw of Myanmar returns to action to face veteran “The Iceman” Yohan Mulia Legowo of Indonesia. Phoe Thaw, a Lethwei practitioner, burst onto the scene in 2015 in impressive fashion. He won his first six mixed martial arts contests, five of which by knockout in the first round. Last October, he suffered the first setback of his career and now, he is looking to get back on track with a win over a veteran martial artist. Legowo, on the other hand, is a pioneer of Indonesia’s mixed martial arts scene, having competed extensively in a local promotion before making his way to the global stage of ONE Championship. “The Iceman” aims to prove that his veteran experience will reign supreme against one of Myanmar’s favorite athletes. In a battle of hard-hitting heavyweights, former Muay Thai and kickboxing World Champion Alain “The Panther” Ngalani of Cameroon faces former ONE World Title challenger Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli of Italy. Ngalani, a Cameroon-born martial artist who trains out of Impakt MMA in his home of Hong Kong, boasts of a terrifying combination of power and speed, and is always looking to end matches early. Ngalani is a four-time Muay Thai and kickboxing heavyweight World Champion. After a short stint in ONE Super Series, Ngalani makes his return to mixed martial arts to take on Mauro Cerilli. Cerilli is a Cage Warriors Heavyweight Champion and a certified finisher known for his knockout power and submission skills. Prior to his ONE debut, Cerilli was on an impressive five-bout win streak, with four of those wins ending with emphatic knockouts. Cerilli looks to capture his first win under the ONE banner when he meets Ngalani. In an exciting strawweight contest, former ONE Strawweight World Champion Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naitoof Japan takes on surging Filipino contender Rene “The Challenger” Catalan. Naito is one of the most successful martial artists to ever emerge from Japan, with a remarkable run as the Shooto Flyweight Champion. Since making his ONE Championship debut in 2016, Naito has captured the ONE Strawweight World Championship on two occasions, defeating former titleholders Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke and Alex Silva. Now, the former two-time World Champion looks to climb back up the ladder as he faces Catalan. Catalan is one of the most decorated wushu practitioners ever to make the transition to mixed martial arts, with podium finishes in the Wushu World Championships, the Wushu World Cup, the Asian Games, and SEA Games. The veteran is currently riding an impressive five-bout win streak, two of which have ended in exciting finishes. The Filipino looks to notch the biggest win of his career when he faces former ONE World Champion Naito. Former ONE World Title challenger Toni “Dynamite” Tauru is making his return to the ONE cage, following a short break from competition. The Finnish athlete, who is the former Cage Warriors Bantamweight Champion, has been competing in ONE Championship since July 2015. Eight of Tauru’s 11 career victories have come by submission, proving his craftiness on the mat. Tauru is set to face Gurdarshan “Saint Lion” Mangat of Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada who is making his promotional debut after having competed in regional promotions. Mangat is a well-rounded striker and grappler, and is a 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu product. He is widely-considered the top pound-for-pound mixed martial artist from India. A winner of his last three bouts, Mangat steps into the ONE cage and looks to extend his win streak against Tauru on the global stage of martial arts. In a ONE Super Series Kickboxing contest, Japanese star Kenta Yamada faces Muay Thai icon Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy. Yamada is a former WBC Muay Thai Japan Champion who hails from Tokyo. Petchmorrakot is one of the top Muay Thai practitioners from Thailand. Making his professional mixed martial arts debut is four-time Chin State Wrestling Champion Tial Thang, who squares off with Cambodian Kun Khmer practitioner Rin Saroth, a former KWC 3 Featherweight Tournament Finalist with a 110-22 record in Kun Khmer. Saroth made his ONE Championship debut in 2015 and has since posted victories over Mission Ali and Mario Satya Wirawan. Tial Thang and Saroth will face each other in a 68-kilogram catch weight bout. Also sharing the cage in a ONE Super Series Kickboxing bout will be English Muay Thai star Liam Nolanand German former K-1 World Max Tournament Champion Enriko “The Hurricane” Kehl. Nolan is a Roar Combat League World Champion, while Kehl is a K-1 World Champion. The two veteran strikers look to light up the highlight reel at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR with their fan-friendly styles. The heavyweights will also be throwing leather, as Romanian SUPERKOMBAT Super Cruiserweight World Champion Andrei “Mister KO” Stoica makes his ONE Super Series Kickboxing debut against Moroccan striker Tarik Khbabez. Khbabez is also a two-time SUPERKOMBAT Heavyweight World Champion. The matchup between the two colossal punchers promises to bring the excitement from beginning to end. The Philippines’ Jomary “The Zamboanginian Fighter” Torres is looking to get 2019 off to a hot start when she faces promotional newcomer Lin “Fighting Sister” Heqin. After kicking off her ONE Championship career with three straight victories, Torres stumbled in 2018, dropping her last two contests. “The Zamboanginian Fighter,” who trains under head coach and veteran mixed martial artist Rene Catalan at Catalan Fighting System, seeks to return to her winning ways this year. But in order to do that, she will have to get past Heqin. Heqin is a 25-year-old Chinese martial arts star who is currently on a five-bout win streak. She possesses incredible power in her strikes and has registered multiple knockouts in her mixed martial arts career. “Fighting Sister” aims to make a statement in her ONE Championship debut by taking out the highly-regarded Torres. In a bantamweight bout, Chinese standout Chen “The Ghost” Rui battles former Trench Warz Featherweight Champion Roman “Sonic Boom” Alvarez. Rui is the ONE Jakarta Tournament Champion, and is undefeated in his professional mixed martial arts career. Alvarez, who hails from Saipan in Northern Mariana Islands, is a promising athlete with solid striking and grappling skills. The two aim to make a lasting impression in a battle of tough young prospects. Bozhena Antoniyar grew up in Loikaw, the capital city of Myanmar’s Kayah State. She began training in martial arts at the age of 16, and ultimately became a two-time National Boxing Champion. In February 2018, she made her ONE Championship debut and set a record for the fastest finish in ONE women’s history with a 24-second technical knockout victory over Shwe Sin. Stepping up to face Bozhena Antoniyar is Malaysia’s Audreylaura “Ice Comet” Boniface. Boniface trains out of Sabah’s renowned Borneo Tribal Squad under veteran coach AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor. A Taekwondo black belt, Boniface seeks her first victory in the ONE cage against Bozhena Antoniyar. Kicking things off on the preliminary card will be a pair of ONE Super Series Flyweight Kickboxing contests, with Japan’s Yuta Watanabe taking on Portugal’s Rui Botelho and Japanese star Kohei “Momotaro” Kodera facing Chinese kickboxer Kenny “The Pitbull” Tse. ONE: REIGN OF VALOR Friday, 8 March Thuwunna Indoor Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar Main Event ONE Welterweight World Championship Zebaztian Kadestam (C) vs Georgiy Kichigin Mixed Martial Arts: 83.9kg Co-Main Event Phoe Thaw vs Yohan Mulia Legowo Mixed Martial Arts: 70.3kg Alain Ngalani vs Mauro Cerilli Mixed Martial Arts: 120.1kg Yoshitaka Naito vs Rene Catalan Mixed Martial Arts: 56.7kg Toni Tauru vs Gurdarshan Mangat Mixed Martial Arts: 61.2kg Kenta Yamada vs Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy ONE Super Series Kickboxing (10oz. gloves): 70.3kg Tial Thang vs Rin Saroth Mixed Martial Arts: 68.0kg Liam Nolan vs Enriko Kehl ONE Super Series Kickboxing (10oz. gloves): 70.3kg Andrei Stoica vs Tarik Khbabez ONE Super Series Kickboxing (10oz. gloves): 102.1kg Lin Heqin vs Jomary Torres Mixed Martial Arts: 52.2kg Chen Rui vs Roman Alvarez Mixed Martial Arts: 65.8kg Bozhena Antoniyar vs Audreylaura Boniface Mixed Martial Arts: 52.2kg Yuta Watanabe vs Rui Botelho ONE Super Series Kickboxing (4oz. gloves): 61.2kg Kohei Kodera vs Kenny Tse ONE Super Series Kickboxing (4oz. gloves): 61.2kg For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

About ONE Championship™ ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world's largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more. ONE hosts the biggest sports entertainment events across Asia, featuring some of the world's best martial artists and world champions on the largest global media broadcast in Asia. ONE eSports, a subsidiary of ONE Championship, runs Asia's largest global eSports Championship Series with some of the biggest blockbuster game titles in the world. In addition to its digital platforms, ONE Championship broadcasts to over 1.7 billion potential viewers across 138 countries with some of the largest global broadcasters, including Fox Sports, ABS-CBN, Astro, ClaroSports, Bandsports, Startimes, Premier Sports, Thairath TV, Skynet, Mediacorp, OSN, Great Sports, Tencent, and more.

Kevin Belingon Looks to Beat Bibiano Fernandes to Redeem Team Lakay

Filipino firebrand Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is dedicating his ONE Bantamweight World Title defense against rival Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes on 31 March at ONE: A NEW ERA to his teammates and fans of Team Lakay.

The Baguio City-based martial arts gym started 2019 out on the wrong foot when both Joshua Pacio and Geje Eustaquio lost their World Titles in close encounters earlier this year.

It was difficult for Belingon to see his team down, so when ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced that he would become the fourth World Champion to defend his title in Japan, Belingon was exhilarated.

Alongside ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, who competes against Shinya Aoki in the main event of ONE: A NEW ERA, the two Team Lakay brothers are looking to boost their team’s morale.

“There’s a lot of pressure for the team this 2019,” Belingon said.

“We just lost two belts this year, so it is up to us [Eduard Folayang] to relieve some of that pressure.”

Both Pacio and Eustaquio’s heartbreaking setbacks were a huge blow to Team Lakay, who had an exceptional 2018. However, the experience has made Belingon even more determined to successfully defend his World Title for both his team and his country.

“Me and kuya Edward are determined to defend our World Titles so that we can go back home as champions,” Belingon said.

“We are going to do this for Team Lakay and the Philippines.”

It will be easier said than done, as Belingon faces a very hungry former titleholder in Fernandes, who is intent on getting the title back. The Baguio City-native will reserve his prediction for the contest, but mentioned that he will avoid committing the same mistakes he and his team made in the past, even in his title-winning performance last November.

"Bibiano Fernandes is the toughest opponent of my career, and surely I am the same for him. I don't expect this third fight to be easy, that is why I am preparing hard in training,” said Belingon.

“I will try my best. I can't predict how the fight will go, but I will try to finish it this time.”

Belingon right now is highly motivated and focused on his upcoming World Title defense, knowing that he has his teammates and the entire Philippines cheering him on. Although he feels pressure, Belingon thrives in it and is using it as a springboard to what he thinks will be his best performance yet.

“We just need to convert that pressure into focus to make sure we are successful in our respective title defenses,” Belingon said.

“With the help of Coach Mark, our teammates and the support of our fans there it is not impossible for us.”

Belingon has waited for so long and has worked so hard to become a World Champion. He vows to give the performance of his life to keep the golden strap around his waist.

“I want to stay as a champion and I would make sure that I will do everything I can to keep it that way,” Belingon concluded.