With a stacked card, the SM Mall of Asia Arena is expected to be packed to the rafters on Friday evening for ONE Championship: Reign of Kings.
The main event of the card features Team Lakay’s Kevin Belingon (18-5) taking on two-division world champion Martin Nguyen (11-2) for the ONE Interim Bantamweight World Championship.
Out of the expected 15,000-plus fans in attendance, there will be one man who will be very much interested with the result of the bout. He is none other than reigning Batamweight kingpin Bibiano Fernandes.
According to MMA analyst Nissi Icasiano, Fernandes, who has yet to taste defeat since 2011, is flying to Manila to closely watch the match as it will determine the next contender to his belt.
The 38-year-old Brazilian has faced both Belingon and Nguyen in the past.
Fernandes made quick work of Belingon back in January of 2016, submitting the Filipino with a kimura in just the first round. Fernandes, on the other hand, had to dig deep against Nguyen last March to retain his belt.
Moreover, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt is no stranger to Filipino fans as he has fought in Manila five times.
