THE bright lights of ONE Championship shine anew in Singapore with Christian Lee eyeing the welterweight world title against current champion Kimrian Abbsaov on November 19.
But before the main event, two Filipino fighters from our very own Team Lakay will be on the fight card.
Kevin Belingon, the former bantamweight world titlist returns as he squares off against Kim Jae Wong while Stephen Loman battles probably one of the best MMA bantamweights of our time and 11 – time world champion Bibiano Fernandes.
Expect fireworks in Loman’s match-up against Bibiano.
Bibiano fought Loman’s brother in Team Lakay, Belingon, and won three out of the four times they met inside the circle.
Loman wanted this matchup with Fernandes ever since he signed with ONE Championship last year, and he earned the opportunity with back-to-back wins against elite opponents inside the circle.
Now riding a sensational 10-fight winning streak overall, the Filipino can’t wait to square off with an all-time great at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Age will play a big factor in their match-up as Loman, who is only 30 years old, is 12 years younger than Fernandes.
More than reclaiming a spot in the bantamweight rankings, Belingon will look to end the longest losing streak of his MMA career when he takes on the dangerous South Korean Wong, who is moving down from featherweight.
Belingon knows he needs a win here – not only to snap his string of tough defeats but also to work his way back toward the belt he once owned.
Belingon’s recent losses came against the top athletes in his division, including former ONE bantamweight world champions Fernandes and John Lineker.
Despite the stiff competition, “The Silencer” isn’t used to losing. He won seven straight bouts before this difficult stretch, and he believes the setbacks stemmed from self-doubt – any fighter’s worst enemy.
However, the 35-year-old says he’s now turned things around and will be in the perfect mental state heading into his showdown with Kim.
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Congratulations to Benguet pride Orlando Smith Jr. for winning the silver medal in the recently concluded World Fitness Federation Asia Pacific Championship held in Vietnam last October 15.
Smith Jr., the brother of Atok Mayor Franklin, bested other bodybuilders in the Masters Category.
The Atok pride is set to compete in the World Fitness Federation World Championship in Lombok, Indonesia slated on November 19.
