Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon stake ONE crowns tonite in Japan

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino champions Eduard Folayang and Kevin Belingon seek to retain their respective titles as they face off with their respective foes when ONE Championship visits Japan for the first time ever in the loaded ONE: New Era at the Ryogou Kokugikan in Tokyo tonight.

Folayang will stake his lightweight crown against Japanese Shinya Aoki in their much-anticipated rematch while Belingon will try to hold on to his bantamweight belt against Brazilian Bibiano Fernandes in what could be their third and final faceoff.

Folayang shocked the world by slaying the once mighty Aoki via a third-round TKO (knees and punches) in ONE: Defending Honor in Sentosa, Singapore two years ago but could end up as a lamb to the slaughter as he will be clashing with Aoki on enemy territory.

Or he could go home victorious.

The Team Lakay standout is determined to do the latter.

“My focus is winning,” said Folayang, who lost the crown he snatched from Aoki in a defeat to Martin Nguyen last year but regained it by besting a talented but raw Amir Khan early this year.

Both Folayang and Belingon will try to avoid becoming the next Filipino casualties this year and avoid the same sad fates suffered by countrymen flyweight Geje Eustaquio and strawweight Joshua Pacio in their recent failed title defenses.

Eustaquio lost his crown to Brazilian Adriano Moraes in ONE: Hero’s Ascent on Jan. 26 at the MOA Arena in Pasay City while Pacio conceded his title to Japanese Yosuke Sarutain ONE: Eternal Glory in Jakarta, Indonesia the week before.

That left Folayang, Belingon and Fil-Am heavyweight Brandon “The Truth” Vera as the last three remaining Filipino champs in ONE Championship.

The Folayang-Aoki and Belingon-Fernandes showdowns are just two of the four world championship bouts that ONE is offering in its inaugural show in Japan.

Danny Kingad will try to climb his way to a title bout as he fights Japanese Senzo Ikeda in a flyweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal.