Kevin Belingon seeking help from Stephen Loman to beat Bibiano Fernandes is ‘really vital’

When Kevin Belingon learned he would be running it back with Bibiano Fernandes, he didn’t have to look far for the perfect training partner.

The former ONE bantamweight MMA world champion immediately turned to Lions Nation MMA teammate Stephen Loman to help him prepare for his fifth showdown with the Brazilian legend, set for ONE 171 on Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.

Bringing 'The Sniper' into his camp is a crucial move.

Fernandes’ last outing in November 2022 was against Loman himself — the current No.2-ranked bantamweight MMA contender — who delivered a career-defining performance that night.

Kevin Belingon went into detail regarding this in an interview with ONE Championship:

“Getting the input of Stephen is really vital. He’s got his own specialty, and he gets to share it with me now, like I was with him when he was younger so it really makes me happy. “

In their matchup over two years ago, Loman shocked the world by dominating Fernandes across three rounds, securing a shutout unanimous decision victory.

Loman set the tone early, using his strength and wrestling to keep the Brazilian veteran on the defensive.

Even as Fernandes attempted to turn the bout into a grappling contest, the Filipino’s takedown defense and submission awareness proved impenetrable.

By the third round, Loman slammed the door on Fernandes with a pair of thunderous slams, controlling the fight from the top position to leave no doubt on the judges’ scorecards.

That’s exactly the blueprint Belingon hopes to follow when he steps back into the cage with Fernandes.

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Kevin Belingon aims to spoil Bibiano Fernandes’ sendoff

Now, the long-running rivalry between Kevin Belingon and Bibiano Fernandes reaches its climactic conclusion at ONE 171: Qatar

The Brazilian veteran, who currently leads their series 3-1, has announced that he could likely take his final bow in Qatar.

However, Belingon has other plans. Determined to rewrite history, he’s set on spoiling his rival’s swan song and securing the redemption he’s been chasing for years. He said this in a separate interview with The MMA Superfan:

“I am to disappoint [Bibiano] in his last fight. I’m not about to give him a win. I want that ‘W’ as well.”

Watch the full interview here: