Renzo Gracie, Shinya Aoki Victorious at One Championship ‘Reign of Kings’

Kevin "The Silencer" Belingon def. 2-division champ Martin Nguyen via unanimous decision, taking the interim ONE Bantamweight title. Rematch with Bibiano Fernandes next. #ReignOfKings pic.twitter.com/sQk9jdub4E

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) July 27, 2018

Kevin Belingon capped off a triumphant night for Team Lakay at One Championship “Reign of Kings” when he defeated Martin Nguyen via unanimous decision to claim the interim bantamweight championship Friday in Manila.

Walking into the bout the odds were stacked against Belingon. Nguyen, the current One Championship featherweight and lightweight champion, took a considerable size and reach advantage into the contest. However, throughout the five rounds, he was unable to bring any of these factors into play nor could he implement his ground game. Despite attempting a number of takedowns, Nguyen had no success in taking the fight to the mat. Time after time Belingon simply stuffed the takedown or fended it aside with the grace of a matador.

When the final bell rung it was apparent that Nguyen needed to produce something special to keep alive his dreams of being a three-division champion. In the frenzied atmosphere of Manila’s Mall of Asia arena, Nguyen threw everything he had into the final five minutes, but unlike his last trip to the Philippines, this was not to be his night. As soon as the round ended, Belingon and the crowd began celebrating his victory.

Renzo Gracie TAPs Yuki Kondo in 2R. What a moment for him ! - HL pic.twitter.com/n8l65ORPM8

— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) July 27, 2018

One of the highlights of the event was the return of Renzo Gracie, who met Japan’s Yuki Kondo in a welterweight clash.

It was a slow start to the contest with neither fighter pressing the action, forcing the referee to dip into his pocket for a pair of yellow cards. At the beginning of the second, both fighters emerged with more intent and began to engage, with Gracie getting the takedown and then shortly after giving the crowd what they wanted to see by submitting Kondo via a rear-naked choke at the 1:40 mark.

finally Garry Tonon RNCd Rahul Raju in 3R - HL pic.twitter.com/SM6DDUptH8

— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) July 27, 2018

Garry Tonon moved to 2-0 after defeating India’s Rahul Raju, via rear-naked choke at 3:27 of the third round. This time it was not the manner of his victory that was surprising, but more so the tenacity of Raju, who was able to escape multiple submission attempts before finally getting caught. Tonon is still very much a work in progress. However, his willingness to stand and strike and not immediately attempt to take the fight straight to the ground, where he feels more at home, is admirable. For fight fans, it will be an interesting journey following the New Jersey native as he progresses in his career.

Shinya Aoki hellbowed Shannon Wiratchai in 1R - HL pic.twitter.com/WpewWz3HQH

— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) July 27, 2018

Shinya Aoki’s competitive fire still burns bright, and it was on show for all to see when he defeated highly-touted lightweight prospect Shannon Wiratchai by referee stoppage 2:16 into the first round. Aoki was in control of the contest from start to finish and soon after the bell sounded, Wiratchai was on the mat fighting for his survival. Aoki then took mount and began raining down elbows on an almost defenseless Wiratchai, forcing the referee to step in and call a halt to the contest.

Team Lakay’s Eduard Folayang and Joshua Pacio were also in action, with both fighters taking home wins.

Folayang was able to at least partially exorcise the ghosts from his November loss to Nguyen when he defeated Russian Aziz Pahrudinov via unanimous decision in a lightweight clash. The 34-year-old Team Lakay stalwart, fighting on home soil for the first time since that KO defeat, was made to work for his victory. Pahrudinov, a 29-year-old world sambo champion, had more success in grappling with Folayang than his compatriot Kharun Atlangeriev did in May, but it was not enough to tip the balance in his favor in the eyes of the judges.

For his part, Pacio achieved a first-round submission win in his strawweight clash with up and coming Thai star Pongsiri Mitsatit .

Pacio quickly took Mitsatit down and began to exert control as soon as they hit the mat, smoothly moving from side control to mount. After a raining down a flurry of blows on Mitsatit, who looked out of his depth on the ground, Pacio began looking for a submission. When it came, it unfolded via slightly unorthodox armlock at 3:37 of the first round.