Mark Sangiao, Kevin Belingon

Representing Team Lakay, ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, 30, of Kiangan, Ifugao, Philippines is set to face ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes, 38, of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. The Filipino challenger’s mentor Mark Sangiao recently shared some details about the preparation of his student for the title unification bout, which is a rematch.

“We all know that Bibiano is very good on the ground,” Sangiao acknowledged. “We are preparing for that and we are looking for high-level training partners that Kevin can roll with. Our base is Wushu, which has takedowns and striking, but we lacked in grappling.”

Founded by Sangiao, Team Lakay is one of the top mixed martial arts team in Asia with three reigning world champions in ONE Championship and one in Brave Combat Federation. The team’s founder and head coach believes that Belingon is presently a much more complete martial artist compared to his first encounter with Fernandes.

“Our fighters’ skill set is complete now,” Sangiao declared. “Jiu-Jitsu has the same techniques but in a mixed martial arts contest, some of its techniques would work and some of it would not. What we did is pick what we can apply and what we cannot in actual bouts.”

“He’s very motivated,” the Team Lakay head coach said of Belingon. “He wants to be the one true king of the bantamweight division. He will do everything just to win.”

For the second time, Belingon will make an attempt to dethrone Fernandes. The two will co-headline “ONE: Heart of the Lion” on November 9, 2018 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.

The Team Lakay’s own blueprint to topple a versatile foe like Fernandes remains a top secret. The only information that Sangiao can give is that Belingon’s mindset is extremely determined to walk out of the cage as the undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion.

Meanwhile, watch Belingon’s signature Ifugao dance ring walkout here:

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