Kevin Belingon Ends Bibiano Fernandes’ Reign, Becomes New One Bantamweight Champion
The One
Championship bantamweight division has a new master.
After five rounds of back-and-forth action in the One Championship “Heart of the Lion” main event on Friday in Kallang, Singapore, Kevin Belingon emerged with a split decision over Bibiano Fernandes that brought with it the promotion’s undisputed bantamweight crown. The loss was Fernandes’ first since 2010 and snapped his 14-fight winning streak.
The Filipino challenger picked apart Fernandes with spinning back
kicks to the liver, while Fernandes answered with his stellar
Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. Belingon, however, displayed excellent
defense throughout their encounter and managed to escape from
various submission attempts.
Belingon knocked down the champion in the fourth round and came close to a finish, but Fernandes found a way to survive.
In the co-main event, Christian Lee bounced back from his disqualification loss in September, as he stopped Japans Kazuki Tokudome with first-round punches. The end came 3:07 into Round 1. Lee halted a two-fight skid and took out an Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran with startling ease, as he imposed his superior wrestling skills after catching Tokudome with a few right hands on the feet. The Singaporean sensation has finished all 10 of his wins, eight of them in the first round.
Elsewhere, Singaporean Tiffany Teo bested Brazil’s Michelle Nicolini by unanimous decision in a women’s flyweight showcase; Adrian Pang forced a doctor stoppage on Kota Shimoishi between the first and second rounds of their welterweight clash; and Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Garry Tonon submitted Sung Jong Lee with a guillotine choke 2:04 into the second round of their lightweight encounter.
After five rounds of back-and-forth action in the One Championship “Heart of the Lion” main event on Friday in Kallang, Singapore, Kevin Belingon emerged with a split decision over Bibiano Fernandes that brought with it the promotion’s undisputed bantamweight crown. The loss was Fernandes’ first since 2010 and snapped his 14-fight winning streak.
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Belingon knocked down the champion in the fourth round and came close to a finish, but Fernandes found a way to survive.
In the co-main event, Christian Lee bounced back from his disqualification loss in September, as he stopped Japans Kazuki Tokudome with first-round punches. The end came 3:07 into Round 1. Lee halted a two-fight skid and took out an Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran with startling ease, as he imposed his superior wrestling skills after catching Tokudome with a few right hands on the feet. The Singaporean sensation has finished all 10 of his wins, eight of them in the first round.
Elsewhere, Singaporean Tiffany Teo bested Brazil’s Michelle Nicolini by unanimous decision in a women’s flyweight showcase; Adrian Pang forced a doctor stoppage on Kota Shimoishi between the first and second rounds of their welterweight clash; and Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Garry Tonon submitted Sung Jong Lee with a guillotine choke 2:04 into the second round of their lightweight encounter.
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