Tag: Kevin Belingon

Bruce Lee Inspired Kevin Belingon’s Martial Arts Career

Reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon was just like any other kid growing up. That was until he watched the legendary Bruce Lee on television and got completely hooked to martial arts. That’s when his life immediately changed. The young Belingon would become fixated on wanting to grow up to become like […]

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Reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon was just like any other kid growing up. That was until he watched the legendary Bruce Lee on television and got completely hooked to martial arts.

That’s when his life immediately changed. The young Belingon would become fixated on wanting to grow up to become like his idol.

“I grew up watching a lot of martial arts movies with my family,” Belingon said.

“The one man who caught my attention was the legendary Bruce Lee. Bruce became my idol when I was young. I loved his charisma, his style and the way he fought. He inspired me to take up martial arts and one day be as good as he was.”

As Belingon entered university, he never forgot his dream of following in Lee’s footsteps. So he signed up with his school’s wushu varsity team despite having very little knowledge of martial arts.

Coincidentally, heading his school’s wushu program was none other than Team Lakay founder and head coach Mark Sangiao. Sangiao instantly recognized Belingon’s potential and he ultimately took “The Silencer” under his wing.

Today, Sangiao has guided Belingon into becoming one of the premiere martial arts talents in Asia. The ferocious 31-year-old has taken on mixed martial arts’ biggest names and is now the reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion.

“I always wanted to be like Bruce so when I got to college, I joined and trained with my school’s Wushu team,” Belingon said.

“That’s how I met coach Mark [Sangiao]. I had very little background with martial arts when I was young, but coach Mark saw my potential and took me under his wing. He cultivated my skills and turned me into the martial artist I am today.”

On 31 March at ONE: A NEW ERA set for Tokyo, Japan, Belingon puts his World Title on the line against rival Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil in one of three co-main events on the night. It’s the third meeting between the two, with each man having one win apiece.

When he steps into the ONE cage, Belingon will be looking to honor his idol Lee with his performance.

“Bruce Lee will always be my inspiration. I want to honor him with every performance. He was my childhood hero growing up,” Belingon concluded.

“If I can end my career being even just being half the man Bruce Lee was, I will be grateful.”

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Kevin Belingon Says Winning and Losing is Part of the Game

Reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is putting all his efforts in preparation for his first title defense against Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes. The highly-anticipated matchup is one of three co-main events to be held at ONE: A NEW ERA, which takes place at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan on 31 March. Earlier this […]

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Reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is putting all his efforts in preparation for his first title defense against Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes. The highly-anticipated matchup is one of three co-main events to be held at ONE: A NEW ERA, which takes place at the Ry?goku Kokugikan on 31 March.

Earlier this year, Belingon’s Team Lakay stablemates Joshua Pacio and Geje Eustaquio lost their World Titles via razor-thin split decisions. Although Belingon is confident of victory ahead of his bout against Fernandes, “The Silencer” understands that losing is also part of the game.

“This is a competitive sport,” Belingon said.

“Winning and losing are both parts of the game. I personally do not feel the need to avenge Joshua [Pacio] or Geje [Eustaquio]. They did their best inside the cage and poured their hearts out into their performances. That’s all you could really ask for. I’m confident they’ll be back in prime position to regain their titles. We are extremely proud of them, win or lose.”

Belingon is deep in preparations for perhaps the most significant test in his career thus far. He is hard at work sharpening his skills and plugging any holes in his game that Fernandes can take advantage of.

With an entire nation behind him, and the support of his Team Lakay brothers, friends and family, Belingon is laser-focused on achieving his goal.

“Right now, I’m just focused on successfully defending my ONE Bantamweight World Title,” Belingon said.

“This bout is dedicated to my family, Team Lakay, and the entire nation of the Philippines. Without a doubt, this is my toughest test yet and I need to pass with flying colors.”

Belingon and Fernandes have met twice before, and both have a win each in their series. The winner of this highly-anticipated rubber match will crown the rightful owner of the ONE Bantamweight World Title.

The 31-year-old feels that he knows exactly what Fernandes brings to the table and will be ready for anything the Brazilian dishes out at him.

“Bibiano [Fernandes] is a very dangerous opponent,” Belingon concluded.

“But I feel like, after two fights, I know him very well already and I can better deal with his strengths in this third bout.”

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Kevin Belingon Proud To Represent Team Lakay On The Global Stage

Before Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon became the ONE Bantamweight World Champion, he was just a small village kid who had big dreams. When he discovered his love for martial arts by joining his school’s wushu team, that’s when his life began to change. Now a prominent member of the renowned Team Lakay in Baguio City, […]

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Before Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon became the ONE Bantamweight World Champion, he was just a small village kid who had big dreams. When he discovered his love for martial arts by joining his school’s wushu team, that’s when his life began to change.

Now a prominent member of the renowned Team Lakay in Baguio City, Belingon looks back at his journey thus far and says every time he steps into the cage to compete, he tries his best to honor his past.

“When I was in college, I joined my school’s Wushu team because I found it interesting,” Belingon said.

“I didn’t have very much knowledge in martial arts, apart from the Bruce Lee movies I watched as a kid. But coach Mark recognized my talent and began training me. He said he believed in my potential.”

Belingon soon earned an athletic scholarship to the University of the Cordilleras where he got a free ride through college due to his excellence in martial arts. This helped Belingon’s parents in shouldering an otherwise expensive financial burden, and also opened the doors for him to represent his school in local tournaments.

Needless to say, “The Silencer” dominated the competition.

“After working very hard and taking my training very seriously, I was asked to represent the school and compete in a local Wushu competition within just two to three months,” Belingon said.

“Without hesitation, I joined the competition and won. After that, I became a part of the school varsity team which paid for my education. It was a huge help for my parents because that was one less thing they had to worry about. I was studying and competing at the same time.”

At the time, heading his university’s wushu program was Coach Mark Sangiao. After graduating from college, Belingon followed Sangiao and they established a group along with veterans Eduard Folayang, Edward Kelly, and Honorio Banario. Not long after, Team Lakay was born.

“I remember back in 2006 when Team Lakay was officially formed, I was chosen to be one of the team’s very first athletes,” Belingon said.

“It was coach Mark who thought of the name. Lakay is an Ilocano word which translates to ‘brother’ in English. So we are a team of brothers.”

Every time Belingon steps into the cage, he does so representing both the pride of the Philippines and his band of brothers.

Belingon is scheduled to defend his ONE Bantamweight World Title against rival and former titleholder Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes at ONE: A NEW ERA, which takes place 31 March at the Ry?goku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.

No matter where Belingon heads with his career, he will always honor his past and what he is fighting for.

“I am very proud to represent the Philippines on the largest global stage of martial arts competition in ONE Championship,” Belingon concluded.

“It is an honor to also be part of Team Lakay. Wherever my career takes me, I will always be proud of where I came from.”

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Bibiano Fernandes Wants to Exploit Kevin Belingon’s Weaknesses

Former bantamweight kingpin Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes can’t wait for 31 March to come when he squares off against Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon in a highly-anticipated rubber match for the ONE Bantamweight World Title at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. The fight card dubbed ONE: A NEW ERA promises an exciting night of action […]

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Former bantamweight kingpin Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes can’t wait for 31 March to come when he squares off against Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon in a highly-anticipated rubber match for the ONE Bantamweight World Title at the Ry?goku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.

The fight card dubbed ONE: A NEW ERA promises an exciting night of action where four World Titles are on the line. Fernandes is laser focused in reclaiming the World Title he lost to Belingon.

“The ONE Bantamweight World Title is very important to me,” Fernandes said.

“I was able to hold on to that World Championship for five years, and now I am more hungry and more determined than ever to win it back. More than just defeating Kevin Belingon, getting the belt back only proves that I am the best bantamweight in ONE Championship, and that means the world to me. I am more determined now than ever to claim victory.”

The pair first met back in 2016 where Fernandes was able to secure a quick victory by way of Kimura in the first round. Two years later, Belingon — then interim bantamweight champ — showed “The Flash” his much-improved skill set as they duked it out for five whole rounds with the Filipino winning by a razor-thin margin to unify the bantamweight titles.

After experiencing defeat, Fernandes went back to the drawing board and analyzed both bouts with Belingon. It was there where he was able to better identify the current champion’s strengths and weaknesses and worked on a strategy to overcome the Team Lakay stalwart in their upcoming bout.

“For this training camp, I focused a lot of my effort on being a lot smarter with my movements as well as utilizing my strength,” Fernandes said.

“I have two bouts of experience with being in the cage with [Kevin] Belingon, so I know what he brings to the table. I know what he is capable of. My training has now been centered on overcoming his weaknesses. My team and I are coming up with a solid game plan to combat his strengths.”

Fernandes will enter the cage completely zeroed in on victory and hungry to cement his name as the best bantamweight in the promotion. And he promises the fans fireworks as soon as the first bell rings.

“The fans in Tokyo can expect an exciting encounter between myself and Kevin Belingon,” Fernandes concluded.

“I am coming in more hungry and more determined to become champion once again. This will be the first time in years that I will be playing the role of challenger, and I plan on once again taking the role of World Champion. I know Kevin will do everything that he can to defend his title, but I know that I can defeat him once again and become the king of the ONE Championship’s bantamweight division.”

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Kevin Belingon Plans To Finish Bibiano Fernandes In Their Upcoming Rubber Match

Undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is not planning on letting the judges decide the winner in a rubber match between him and  Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes on 31 March at ONE: A NEW ERA. Belingon took no breaks after learning that he will be defending his World Title against the former […]

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Undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon is not planning on letting the judges decide the winner in a rubber match between him and  Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes on 31 March at ONE: A NEW ERA.

Belingon took no breaks after learning that he will be defending his World Title against the former champion at the Ry?goku Kokugikan. He has learned from past mistakes and wants to get a clear victory by finishing Fernandes within the distance.

“I have no plans of relinquishing my title to Bibiano [Fernandes],” Belingon said.

“That’s not in the cards. I don’t plan on leaving the result at the hands of the judges this time. I’m going for the decisive finish this time and if I see the opening, I’m going to take it. I can’t say which round, but I assure all the fans, if the opportunity comes I will grab it.”

Belingon is riding an unprecedented seven bout winning streak. His last victory was the most memorable, where he unified the bantamweight titles with a victory over Fernandes to become the undisputed titleholder.

Fernandes however, has long proven why he became one of the most dominant World Champions in the promotion’s history with his body of work since joining ONE Championship in August 2012.

Belingon knows what’s at stake in the rubber match, and wants to ensure victory by aiming for a stoppage early.

“To all my fans and supporters, I want to tell you that you can expect a very explosive performance from me this time around,” Belingon said.

“I want to be aggressive and push the pace in this bout.”

With an entire nation and his team looking on to him to get that first successful title defense, Belingon will definitely stop at nothing to make his country and fans proud.

“I will do everything I can to win this match for you guys,” Belingon concluded.

“I fight for the honor and glory of my country, and with an entire nation behind my back, I am confident I can pull off the victory once again.”

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Stacked ONE: A NEW ERA Card Adds Its Fourth World Title Contest

By Dan Paulo Errazo CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodong, made headlines recently when he posted on his Facebook account that a fourth ONE World Title bout was added to the already stacked ONE: A NEW ERA event set for 31 March at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. It was revealed that ONE Bantamweight […]

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By Dan Paulo Errazo

CEO of ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodong, made headlines recently when he posted on his Facebook account that a fourth ONE World Title bout was added to the already stacked ONE: A NEW ERA event set for 31 March at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.

It was revealed that ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon will be defending his title against rival Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes.

Though this may be the first title defense for Belingon, “The Silencer” knows all too well just how important this match is after two of his Team Lakay stablemates lost their World Titles six days apart to start off 2019.

Even more compelling is that Belingon will be defending his title against Fernandes, known as the most dominant World Champion in ONE history with eight successful title defenses.

The pair first met in January 2016 in China, where the Filipino stalwart fell to Fernandes via first-round kimura. With his first World Title opportunity slipping right through his fingertips, Belingon embarked on an unprecedented run through the ranks, winning six consecutive bouts in epic fashion. Two years later, Belingon finally clawed his way back to title contention.

He met Fernandes in a highly-anticipated rematch last November at Singapore’s ONE: HEART OF THE LION event. The rematch between the two produced absolute fireworks, as Belingon came well-prepared for Fernandes’ grappling and was finally able to land his signature strikes to earn a split decision.

Now in the much-awaited rubber match, both Belingon and Fernandes look to finally settle the score and determine the true owner of the golden strap this 31 March. Belingon aims to maintain the hard work that his team put forth over the past few years and keep his title. While Fernandes looks to re-establish himself as the bantamweight king.

The Ry?goku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan will be the venue where the ONE Middleweight, Lightweight, Bantamweight, and Women’s Strawweight World Titles will be defended and possibly change hands.

Belingon and Fernandes are getting ready for the biggest match of their careers, as they await the gold glitter and confetti to fall from the rafters.

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