Stephen Loman's Teammate Bares Thoughts On Potential Clash Vs Kwon Won Il

The bantamweight division in ONE Championship has been one of the most hotly contested in recent months after John Lineker ended Bibiano Fernandes' 1,076-day reign as king of the weight class.

With a new king atop the bracket, those in the rankings are fighting for a shot at the title, which includes both Filipino standout Stephen Loman and South Korean spitfire Kwon Won Il.

The No. 3 bantamweight recently called out Loman to prove who deserves the first crack at Lineker, with the former BRAVE CF bantamweight champion accepting his challenge.

Former ONE bantamweight titleholder and Loman's Team Lakay stablemate Kevin Belingon was not shy about sharing his opinions on the pair fighting each other.

In a conversation with International Business Times sports editor and combat sports analyst Nissi Icasiano, Belingon believes a Kwon-versus-Loman match would be best for both men's careers.

"For me, this is a great fight and it would be a great fight for him (Kwon) to test his mettle since he is coming off a loss and he wants to redeem himself against Stephen," said Belingon.

"One more thing as to why Kwon would want to challenge Stephen is because Stephen has already established himself in the division."

Kwon's last fight saw him fall to rising star and No. 2-ranked Fabricio Andrade in spectacular fashion for the first knockout loss in his career at ONE 158, while Loman earned a unanimous decision victory over Shoko Sato at ONE X.

With the No. 4-ranked Loman chasing Kwon's spot, it is almost inevitable that the pair will meet inside the ONE Championship cage to determine the pecking order for the bantamweight title.

"I think Kwon's only advantage is his height, while the striking and wrestling will be on Stephen's side. He (Loman) is a more complete package than Kwon," Belingon said when asked about their strong points.

Kwon has proven himself to be a tough competitor under the Singapore-based combat sports outfit's banner as he racked up five victories via knockout.

There has been a tendency for Kwon to struggle in submission situations as evidenced by his two losses to Japanese icon Masakazu Imanari and Loman's last opponent Sato, but it has not deterred him from his chase for a title shot.

While all eyes are on Kwon and Loman's impending match, Belingon himself is working his way back to form after being the South Korean's knockout victim in December 2021.

"I'm still training even if I don't have a scheduled fight so that I don't get left out. For now, we're focusing on drills and techniques while I still don't have a fight lined up. It's already like my preparation in case ONE Championship calls my number," Belingon told Icasiano.

The No. 5-ranked bantamweight also noted that the division really has gotten stacked and how skillful they all are which is why he continues to train even without an opponent lined up.

As the days continue to roll on, Belingon is one with the fans in hoping that a cage encounter between Kwon and his Team Lakay comrade will be booked on a ONE Championship card very soon.