MMA: Fernandes, Belingon to arrange possible future showdown on ONE FC: Rise to Power

On May 31, Honorio Banario will headline ONE FC: Rise to Power as he defends his featherweight title for the first time against Japan’s Koji Oishi. But before Banario steps into the cage, two fighters from the bantamweight division will be out to get their own crack at a ONE FC championship. The two will possibly need to face each other before they get there.

 

For the grand finale of the ONE FC bantamweight Grand Prix, Team Lakay’s Kevin Belingon will face Japan’s Masakatsu Ueda. After losing to Soo Chul Kim at ONE FC: Pride of a Nation, Belingon was selected to be the Philippines’ representative to the bantamweight competitions. He responded with two big technical knockout wins over Yusup Saadulaev and Thanh Vu.

 

“Sa ngayon, normal naman na may pressure talaga sa akin para manalo. Pero di ko na iniisip yun,” Belingon said. “Naka-focus lang ako sa kalaban ko.”

 

After suffering back-to-back losses in his first two ONE FC stints, Belingon focused on honing his skills on the ground game. However, it was his fiery fists that enabled him to reach his current lofty position.

“Hindi ko muna iniisip ang title shot o kung sino yung pwede kong makalaban sa susunod,” Belingon said. “Basta ako, naghahanda lang akong magbigay ng magandang laban.”

 

Just before the main event, Brazil’s Bibiano Fernandes will face off against Koetsu Okazaki. The two will be fighting for the interim ONE FC bantamweight title.

 

Korea’s Soo Chul Kim holds the ONE FC bantamweight title, but he suffered an injury which caused the need for an interim title. 

 

Although Fernandes is considered by most pundits as the best bantamweight in ONE FC, the Brazilian is quick to dismiss all the accolades.

 

"If I consider myself number one, what would be left for me?" said Fernandes. "You can never stop learning and never stop with new challenges. The day I consider myself the best is the day I'm through because I compete for the love of the competition."

 

If the Korean champion stays in sick bay, the winners of the two supporting main events for ONE FC: Rise to Power may find themselves on a collision course. Although Fernandes and Belingon are completely focused on the task at hand, the two will surely be interested spectators for the other’s match. - AMD, GMA News