Bibiano Fernandes says Filipino fans show him love despite rivalry with Kevin Belingon: “Everybody came to take a picture”

Former longtime ONE bantamweight MMA world champion and ONE Championship legend 'The Flash' Bibiano Fernandes of Brazil is thankful for the love Filipino fans have shown him throughout his career, despite his intense rivalry with the Philippines' own Kevin Belingon.

Fernandes and Belingon have fought against each other a total of four times over the course of a decade, but 'The Flash' says Filipino fans have been amazing.

Speaking to CBC in a recent pre-fight interview, Fernandes talked about the upcoming Belingon fight, and how he feels about their rivalry.

'The Flash' said:

"He’s pretty good, a very tough opponent. He’s very quick, he’s strong. The last time I was in the Philippines, I had to go to Thailand for a ONE promotion and I had to stop by the Philippines and everybody came to see me, everybody came to take a picture. In the last fight I had with Kevin Belingon, we reached 29 million views. That’s how big the media can reach. And like I said, that one time I had to stop in the Philippines for three hours, everybody came to say hi to me in the airport."

Fernandes will return to action this week in ONE Championship, in what is the final fight in his storied career.

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Bibiano Fernandes to fight Kevin Belingon an unprecedented fifth time at ONE 171: Qatar

'The Flash' Bibiano Fernandes and 'The Silencer' Kevin Belingon will go to war one more time in a three-round bantamweight MMA bout.

The two lock horns at ONE 171: Qatar, which will broadcast live from the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar, this Thursday, February 20.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free via watch.onefc.com.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the Bibiano Fernandes vs. Kevin Belingon rematch.