Kwon Won Il produced a major upset when he took on Kevin Belingon at ONE Championship's most recent event, ONE: Winter Warriors II. 'Pretty Boy' made light work of the No.2-ranked bantamweight, securing a TKO victory in the second round. The South Korean fighter called for a title shot moments after his win.
Kwon's win over Belingon was his third straight in ONE Championship. In his post-fight interview, he said:
"I beat the ranked [No.] 2. I am new generation icon. Give me the title shot. I'm the new era. Bibiano, John Lineker, I don’t care. Anyone is okay. Give me a title shot. It’s mine."
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Kwon improved his professional MMA record to 10-3 and is now 6-3 in ONE Championship. He is expected to fight the winner of the upcoming bout at ONE: X between John Lineker and Bibiano Fernandes.
Kevin Belingon reveals he fought Kwon Won Il with a bruised rib in their ONE Championship matchup
Kwon Won II handed Kevin Belingon his fourth consecutive loss in ONE Championship at ONE: Winter Warriors II. Fans and analysts have pointed out that Belingon is not as durable as he once was.
During an interview with the media, the Filipino fighter revealed he suffered a rib injury prior to the fight. He said:
"Eight weeks before my fight, I had a rib injury and I had to rest for two weeks before going back to training. During the first round, I got hit early in the ribs and it was followed by another. My movement became slower afterwards. My body felt heavy compared to my previous fights like my battle with Martin Nguyen, it was really different. His height and reach was never a problem since I can still hit him."
Belingon has been part of some of the most memorable fights in ONE Championship history, including barnburners against the likes of Bibiano Fernandes and Martin Nguyen.
Considering his experience and famed resilience, it was quite shocking to see him fall to a body shot against Kwon Won Il.