Two of the top international fighters in the world at bantamweight will collide at ONE: Heart of the Lion this weekend when Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon square off.
Fernandes is the current ONE bantamweight champion, holding the belt since 2013. He has earned seven successful defenses since, including a recent win over Martin Nguyen.
“It has always been a pleasure to be here in Singapore,” he said. “This is where I unified the titles in 2013. I will get a chance to do it again in a rematch with a tough opponent in Kevin Belingon. I fought him in the past. I finished him before, and I will finish him again. I am ready for the war on Friday, and I am prepared to do my best.”
Belingon is the interim champion and will look to unify the belts. He is on a six-fight win streak that also includes a decision over Nguyen for the interim title.
“I trained very hard for the match this coming Friday. I’ve waited for a long time to face Bibiano Fernandes again,” Belingon said. “I am 100 percent ready and confident. I will do my best to win this time. Be there to support us on November 9.”
The last loss by Belingon came in 2016 when he was submitted in the first round by Fernandes.
ONE CEO and Chairman Chatri Sityodtong said “ONE Championship is a different organization. ONE Championship is for martial artists, by martial artists. Every fight promotion in the world wants to put on a fight. In ONE Championship, we want to build and unleash real-life superheroes who ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams, inspiration, and courage. We want real martial artists to stand up. Martial arts is not about fighting and violence. It is about unleashing your greatness in life. This is the real beauty of martial arts. I want the entire world to look at our heroes and be inspired through their lives because they bare their souls to the world with every triumph and every failure.”
