ONE champion si Belingon

HINDI nabigo ang sambayanan na sumugod at naghintay para saksihan ang laban ng mga Pinoy mixed martial arts fighter – isa nang ganap na world champion si Kevin ‘The Silencer’ Belingon.

Sa harap nang nagbubunying kababayan, nadomina ng Team Lakay standout ang two-division world champion na si Martin ‘The Situ-Asian” Nguyen ng Vietnam para tanghaling ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Biyernes ng gabi sa main event ng ONE:Reign of Kings sa MOA Arena.

Matikas na nakihamok si Belingon sa loob ng limang round at ilang pagkakataon na nakatama siya ng solid left hook at ax kick sa karibal tungo sa unanimous decision na panalo sa nangungunang MMA promotion sa Asia.

“I can’t explain this feeling, I’m the happiest athlete tonight. Thank you to all the people who came out to support me, and of course to ONE Championship, my team, my coaches and trainers, and my teammates. To Martin [Nguyen], it was an honor fighting you. You’re such a great athlete and champion. I trained very hard for this fight, just to get this belt. I’m proud to be a champion representing the Philippines. My friend Bibiano [Fernandes], I respect him as a champion, but we’re in the same weight class and I’m the top contender. So there is no escape in facing me. I hope you recover fast and we can make the fight this year,”pahayag ni Belingon.

Sa co-main event, naitala ni dating NE Lightweight World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki ng Japan ang first-round stoppage victory kontra Thai martial arts superstar Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai.

Matikas din ang pagbabalik aksiyon ni Brazilian legend Renzo Gracie nang magapi si Yuki Kondoi via rear-naked choke.