Finally, its on. With Bibiano Fernades on the mend, Kevin Belingon gets a chance become ranked second to none in the Bantamwieght Division of ONE Championship.
The largest global sports media property in Asian history has recently announced that the 38-year old Brazilian will put his World Bantamwieght at stake against the Kiangan, Ifugao native on November 9, 2018 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
It is no secret that Belingon wants to snatch the “real” crown from “The Flash” Fernades, the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion, and widely considered one of the best martial artists in the world bar none.
He earlier repeatedly expressed his desire to get another shot at his tormentor in a rematch for the title.
The 30-year old “The Silencer” Belingon of Team Lakay put together a series of tremendous performances, including several highlight-reel finishes since joining ONE Championship in 2012.
These earned him a shot at ONE Bantamweight World Champion and met Fernandes in early 2016 the first time.
Fernandes retained the title via a first-round submission win in the first time they shared the cage at ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS, in Changsha, China.
Belingon has since been on a warpath back to world title contention, putting together a sensational six-bout win streak which includes huge knockout wins over several former world title challengers, with the likes of Toni Tauru, Reece ‘Lightning’ McLaren, Andrew Leone, and Nguyen, pretty much a who’s-who in ONE Championship’s bantamweight division, for the interim Bantamweight title.
He won three of those matches by knockout and three by unanimous decision.
His recent win made Belingon the fifth Filipino to capture ONE World Championship title, joining reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon ‘The Truth’ Vera, as well as Team Lakay stablemates in reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Geje ‘Gravity’ Eustaquio, former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard ‘Landslide’ Folayang, and former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio ‘The Rock’ Banario.
Belingon has his sights firmly set on Fernandes and the ONE Bantamweight World Championship after his win over Nguyen.
After putting a lot at stake in chasing the interim title, he wants nothing else and no one else.
“I am looking forward to our rematch. No more detours. Bibiano should be next, and I fully expect to be facing him soon”, he said then. “I respect [Bibiano] as a champion, but we are in the same weight class, and I am the top contender, so there is no escape in facing me. I hope you recover fast, and that we can make the fight this year.”
This rematch was actually set moments before he dazzled once again with another ferocious striking display to obliterate Andrew Leone in two rounds in the main event of Heroes of Honor last April.
It was later revealed by ONE after the match that Belingon had a standing offer of a rematch against Fernandes that was all but guaranteed before the bout.
All Belingon had to do then was wait for Fernandes to recover from injury for the bout to happen.
Belingon carries a 19-5 win-loss record going in the fight to Fernandes’ 22-3.
Fernades made his ONE Championship debut back in 2012 and captured the bantamweight world title in 2013. Since then, Fernandes has remained unbeaten inside the ONE Championship cage, showcasing tremendous striking and grappling ability and an unwavering will to win.
In his most recent bout, Fernandes also defeated Nguyen by split decision in a World Champion vs. World Champion super-bout.
ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan will defend her title against ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee in the main card of the event dubbed ONE: HEART OF A LION.
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS
