MMA News: Kwon Won Il Claims Team Lakay's Stephen Loman Is 'Overhyped'

South Korean knockout artist Kwon Won Il dismissed any notions of potentially fighting ONE Championship’s shiny new acquisition in Stephen Loman in the near future.

Speaking with The AllStar, Kwon was adamant that he would be keeping his eyes on the ONE bantamweight title currently held by Bibiano Fernandes and not against any other fighter.

“For me, he (Stephen Loman) is somebody who’s in the street who’s trying to surpass what I achieved. I just want him to move out of my way. I bet he’s a very good athlete because he was a champion in another organization but just by watching his last fight versus [Yusup Saadulaev] I personally thought he was a bit overhyped. It wasn’t what I expected,” Kwon bluntly remarked.

Both men picked up statement victories at ONE: Winter Warriors II, with the South Korean stopping Loman’s Team Lakay comrade Kevin Belingon with a body shot and the Filipino catching Yusup Saadulaev with an overhand left for the knockout victory.

The twin victories at the event propelled fans to speculate on whether the two fighters will step into the cage against each other next after Kwon defeated the No. 2-ranked Belingon and Loman knocked off the No. 3-seeded Saadulaev.

Loman commented on potentially facing Kwon in a conversation with South China Morning Post, stating that it would be a highly-exciting matchup between them.

“Kwon Won Il is also a very good fighter at mixing his punches and kicks [which allowed him to catch] Kevin [Belingon] with the liver shot. I would like to test myself against him. I want to prove that [I can get the win]. I’ll study him first and make a game plan to fight him in the ring,” Loman jovially revealed.

However, Kwon insisted that the Filipino newcomer was not deserving of being in the title picture just yet because he has had only one fight under the Singapore-based MMA promotion.

A fight between the 26-year-old Kwon and the 29-year-old Loman would help mix up the bantamweight division’s rankings, but both fighters could be facing different opponents once 2022 rolls around.

Loman fighting Belingon in his next fight is highly unlikely as both fighters are from within the same camp, which could lead to him facing Fabricio Andrade with Kwon mixing it up with Shoko Sato in order to avenge his submission loss in January 2020.

The No. 1-ranked bantamweight John Lineker will be having his first at crack at ONE Championship gold when he faces Fernandes next year, locking up the title until the outcome of that fight.

“I can’t give too much details, but I did have a good conversation with Chatri [Sityodtong], CEO of ONE Championship, and he did give me some good word and he did give me some good news,” Kwon revealed.