![Kevin Belingon (left) and Bibiano Fernandes (right). [Photos from ONE Championship]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/3ef3f-17393816766450-1920.jpg)
![Kevin Belingon (left) and Bibiano Fernandes (right). [Photos from ONE Championship]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.6666666666667'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It may have been a surprise at first, but Kevin Belingon knew his next match would be his chance at revenge against a familiar foe.
The Filipino legend will take on old rival Bibiano Fernandes for the fifth time in their storied careers at the stacked ONE 171: Qatar card on Feb. 20 at Lusail Sports Arena.
In an interview with The MMA Superfan, Belingon admitted that he was surprised yet excited when ONE Championship offered him to fight his fellow former ONE bantamweight MMA world champion.
Belingon said he never expected to face Fernandes again, but it's a chance for him to exorcise the demons that haunted him since losing to the Brazilian legend in 2019.
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"When this fight was offered, I was immediately excited about it, and I was also surprised. I didn’t expect that I’ll face Bibiano [Fernandes] again. So this is a chance to get back against him," said Kevin Belingon.
The pair of former world champions squared off against each other four times from 2016 to 2019, with all matches being fought over the ONE bantamweight MMA world title.
Their saga came to what looked like an end at ONE: Century Part II when Fernandes submitted Belingon via rear-naked choke in October 2019 in Tokyo.
Nevertheless, Belingon is determined to retake his momentum against the man who's become his absolute nemesis in his career.
ONE 171 is free at watch.onefc.com while tickets can be purchased through Q-Tickets.
Watch Belingon's entire interview below:
Kevin Belingon gets an unexpected supporter in Kwon Won Il
Kevin Belingon never turns down any support given to him whenever he fights, and he'll have an unlikely fan cheering for him when he enters the Circle against Bibiano Fernandes at ONE 171.
Former world title contender Kwon Won Il is rooting for the Lions Nation MMA star ahead of his fifth clash against Fernandes in Qatar.
In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Kwon said he has an affinity for Belingon since he and the Filipino veteran shared the cage in December 2021. Kwon also trained for a spell in the Philippines earlier in his MMA career:
"I still want Belingon to win because he shared the circle with me. I love the Philippines and my former opponent Kevin Belingon. So I hope he wins."
