Previously ranked Filipinos in ONE Championship all retained their spots but their lack of appearances keep stretching out.
Here are how Joshua Pacio, Stephen Loman, Danny Kingad, Kevin Belingon, and Denice Zamboanga stack up against the best of their respective divisions as of October 6, 2022
Joshua Pacio: Strawweight Champion
Current record: 19-3-0
Last fight: won over Yosuke Saruta via TKO on punches at 3:38 mark of first round during One Championship – Revolution on September 24, 2021
Upcoming fight: Title defense against Jarred Brooks during ONE 164 on December 3, 2022 at Manila’s Mall of Asia Arena.
Amid all the hype built around the thrash talk of Jarred Brooks, their actual meeting had been up in the air for some time.
Brooks quickly went 3-0 in ONE Championship upon arriving at the promotion in November 2021 and immediately staged a thrash talk campaign against Pacio and the whole Team Lakay.
After months of waiting, they were supposed be the main draw of ONE: 158 back June 3, 2022 at Singapore Indoor Stadium but the bout was been postponed due to a scheduling conflict.
Hopefully, we can see Pacio defend his gold against “The Monkey God” when ONE Championship finally gets back to the Philippines.
Denice Zamboanga: No. 3 Women’s atomweight
Current record: 8-2-0
Last fight: defeated by Seo Hee Ham via unanimous decision during One Championship – One X on March 26, 2022.
Upcoming fight: Nothing scheduled.
A few years back, Zamboanga looked like the best fighter who can dislodge perennial champion Angela Lee from her throne but lost sting when she lost back-to-back bouts against now second-ranked Ham Seo Hee.
Stamp Fairtex occupies the top contender spot in the division.
Stephen Loman: No. 4 bantamweight
Current record: 15-2-0
Last fight: won over Shoko Sato by unanimous decision during One Championship – One X on March 26, 2022 at Singapore.
Upcoming fight: Nothing scheduled.
Loman won his first two ONE Championship bouts by impressive fashion but still trails the elite fighters of this division, mostly Brazilians.
John Lineker knocked out long-time champion and now top contender Bibiano Fernandes. Occupying the second and third spots are Fabricio Andrade and Korean Kwon Won Il.
Lineker and Andrade are schedule to meet on October 21 and the result should shake up the rankings in a major way.
Danny Kingad: No. 4 Flyweight
Current record: 14-3-0
Last fight: defeated by Kairat Akhmetov via unanimous decision during One Championship – Winter Warriors 2 on December 03, 2021.
Upcoming fight: Nothing scheduled.
American superstar Demetrious Johnson captured the title over long-time king Adriano Moraes last August, forcing their witching places in the rankings.
Kairat Akhmetov and Yuya Wakamatsu are the only other flyweights ahead of Kingad.
Kevin Belingon: No. 5 Bantamweight
Current record: 20-9-0
Last fight: defeated by Kwon Won Il via knockout on body punch at the 0:52 mark of the second round during One Championship – Winter Warriors 2 on December 03, 2021.
Upcoming fight: Nothing scheduled.
It might surprise many why Belingon is still among the ranked fighters in the division. It is because he is in a four-bout losing streak, all in devastating fashion.
A deeper look, however, would show all his conquerors are coming from the upper-ranked fighters: twice to Fernandes, and once each to Lineker and Il.
By Armando M. Bolislis