One Fighting Championship (One FC) has announced that two fighters from Team Lakay's roster have been booked to face separate opponents for the mixed martial arts promotion company's return to Manila this coming December 5. The MMA event has been dubbed Warrior's Way and it's set to unfold at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Honorio Banario (8-4-0) will be facing Herbert Burns (4-0-0) of Brazil while Kevin Belingon (12-4-0) will be locking horns with Koetsu Okazaki (10-3-1) of Japan.
Since making his debut in the One FC in 2012, Belingon has earned three victories against four losses under the promotion company. His most recent fight was a losing effort to South Korea's Dae Hwan Kim wherein he got submitted in the first round. Fortunately for Belingon, his next opponent this coming December is not a known submission artist. Koetsu Okazaki, like Belingon, is a striker. That is he prefers fighting on his feet rather than on the ground. Belingon is younger and he's got more knockout power in his hands. This is not to mention his leg kicks which have been a source of frustration for a lot of his previous opponents. With that said, it won't be surprising if Belingon is tagged as the favorite to win this match-up.
Belingon's team mate Honorio
Banario, on the other hand, will have the world on his shoulders when he
enters the cage this coming December to face Herbert Burns of Brazil.
Banario lost his three most recent fights. After winning the One FC's
featherweight championship belt in February of 2013, he lost it three
months later to Koji Oishi of Japan via knockout. He got knocked out
again in their rematch several months later. His most recent outing was a
decision loss to Jadamba Narantungalag of Mongolia who currently reigns as the One FC featherweight champion after defeating Koji Oishi in Dubai.
Now,
Banario will be fighting an undefeated and rising star in Herbert
Burns. Needless to say, Burns is the less experienced fighter but he has
shown throughout his four fights that he is an improving mixed martial
artist. He fought twice this year alone and he did it in dominant
fashion. For sure, Banario will have his hands full when he fights the
Brazilian next month.
Kevin Belingon lands a kick on an opponent's head in one of his fights under the One FC. Photo by One FC. |
Warrior's Way will be headlined by a bantamweight showdown between Bibiano Fernandez (Brazil) and Dae Hwan Kim (South Korea). The co-main event in the card will be former Ultimate Fighting Championship star Brandon Vera's debut in the One FC against Igor Subora (Ukraine).
Two other Cordilleran fighters - Eduard Folayang and Eric Kelly - are also rumored to be fighting in the card. In fact, the One FC directly stated last month on their official Facebook page that the two fighters will be in the card. However, no official announcement has been made yet by the promotion company.