It's win or bust for Igorot MMA fighters
THE LURE of winning the coveted One Championship belt may be in the fold for Team Lakay fighters who will see action tonight at the Kuala Lumpur’s Stadium Negara in Malaysia for the Quest for Greatness.
After making their weight, Kevin Belingon and Eduard Kelly takes on separate foes as they take a step further towards another crown for the country’s top MMA team.
Belingon will take on Reece Mcclaren, a bout many sees as another title eliminator for the bantamweight crown being held by Bibiano Fernadez who has yet to taste defeat since copping the belt in 2013.
The 29 – year – old Belingon believes another victory would earn him another shot at the title.
“I believe I will face Bibiano Fernandes if I can defeat Reece McLaren impressively. My dream of finally becoming a world champion is still there. It still lives in my heart. My upcoming bout is another journey to elevate my status as a contender for the title,” Belingon earlier said.
Coming off a three fight win streak, Kelly meanwhile had a jagged beginning in the promotion, losing to Brazilian contender Herbert Burns by way of 44-second submission in December 2013 and then suffering a first-round knockout defeat to MalaysianKiwi sensation Ev Ting in October 2014.
Although Kelly bounced back by submitting compatriot Jimmy Yabo in April 2015, he yielded to hard-hitting Australian stalwart Martin Nguyen via doctor stoppage seven months later.
Kelly erased the harsh memories of his painful setbacks by defeating three high-profile opponents in 2016 as he squares off with Emilio Urrutia.
Two more Filipinos are set to see action in the fight card with brothers Robin and Rene Catalan.
Rene will be sharing the cage with grappling prodigy Bu Huo You Ga of China while, one of his younger brother, Robin, squares off with multiple-time Lumpinee World Champion and former ONE strawweight world champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke later in the evening.
It will be the first time both family members are competing at the same ONE Championship event. Not only does he have to focus on his own match, but Catalan also has to deal with the stress of coaching his younger sibling to victory.
“There is pressure, definitely, both as a coach and as a competitor, As a coach, I am thinking about my athlete’s performances. And as a competitor, there is the pressure to win, and carrying Filipino pride on my shoulders,” he admitted.
Riding high on a two-bout winning streak, the 38-year-old Iloilo native will have the chance to extend his victory parade as he takes on Bu, who has won his last three outings.
Robin meanwhile s expected to have his hands full as he shares the ONE Championship cage with Dejdamrong, who is a three-time Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai world champion with over 25 years of competitive experience.
Having a professional record of 7-2, Dejdamrong is known as a technical striker with quick hands and lightning feet, employing some of the most unique and creative combinations.
Even though Catalan is a striker by nature with his Wushu-Sanda pedigree, his opponent is a living legend in the discipline known as “The art of eight limbs.”
“I know he is much more experienced than me, and I look up to that. I also admire his striking skills. It is one of the things we are cautious about,” he said.
The 27-year-old Iloilo City native might have a tall order in front of him in Dejdamrong, but he remains unperturbed with the fact that the most challenging bout in his young career is ahead of him. Roderick Osis