Former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champions Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon and Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes have faced each other so many times that there isn’t much either man can do to surprise the other.
Belingon and Fernandes will battle for the fifth time at ONE 171: Qatar inside Lusail Sports Arena in Doha on February 20.
The 37-year-old feels like they’re so familiar with each other that he doesn’t expect to be surprised by anything Fernandes brings to the table in the Middle East in two week’s time.
READ: Denice Zamboanga wants ONE unification title bout with Stamp in MoA
“I don’t know if there’s one thing that’ll surprise me against Bibiano, but I’ll certainly be looking to be the one surprising him in this bout,” he said.
There isn't much that can change heading into their fifth fight. Fernandes will come in the better grappler and wrestler, while Belingon will be the better and deadlier striker.
That’s why Belingon is focused on coming in confident, trusting that he can solve the Fernandes puzzle this time.
“It’s no secret that Bibiano’s a fighter who’s really good at the ground and has really decent striking as well. But I guess if there’s a thing that I really need to work on for this fight is my confidence,” he said.
“I have to come in 100 percent confident in my skills and my ability to hang with him wherever the fight goes,” he added.
“I believe I can match him with my own weapons, so it’s all a matter of confidence.”
If he can dominate his foe, he’ll certainly prove that he still belongs in the division he once ruled over.
“What I want to prove is that I’m not done. I’m still strong, I can still hit hard, I can still fight. I want to show in this fight that I’ve improved in this fight,” Belingon said.
“I still feel like I belong with the best of this division. I believe that I’m still quick enough, I’m strong enough, and I can hang around and go toe-to-toe with the best fighters in this division, the younger fighters in this division.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
