Belingon stakes win run vs Leone

MANILA, Philippines — Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon stakes his four-bout win streak and tries to firm up his standing as the top contender in the bantamweight division as he takes on American Andrew Leone tonight in the main event of ONE: Heroes of Honor at the MOA Arena.

Belingon vowed to showcase his feared striking skills as well as improved ground techniques against jiujitsu expert Leone as he seeks to treat his kababayans a fiery performance as well as display his readiness to get another crack at ONE bantam titlist Bibiano Fernandes.

“I want to show everybody that I am the real title-challenger-in-waiting,” said Belingon.

The Team Lakay stalwart said he’s ready for whatever the decorated wrestler Leone will bring to the fight, which will be held inside the new ONE five-rope ring instead of the cage for this card.

“I trained hard for this, especially in wrestling and grappling techniques,” he said.

Belingon said they studied Leone’s previous duel with Geje Eustaquio to prepare his counter to the American’s takedown.

“Puro ground iyung kay Geje kaya pinaghandaan ko yun especially yung takedown niya, makadepensa tayo tapos may counter na hook sakaling mag-shoot o mag-attempt,” said Belingon, who plans to keep the fight at the center of the ring.

Meanwhile, the inaugural ONE Super Series headlined by the marquee showdown between global kickboxing superstar Giorgio Petrosyan of Italy and Atlanta-based Thai kickboxer Jo Nattawut, lights up the MOA Arena as well.

The ONE Super Series aims to provide the world’s best martial artists a prestigious global platform to showcase the beauty of Asia’s striking arts such as muay thai, kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, kung fu, wushu, sanda, silat, and lethwei, and aside from Petrosyan and Nattawut,  muay thai experts Nong-O Gaiyanghado of Thailand Fabio Pinca of France are also set to slug it out in one of the featured fights.