With Team Lakay’s Lito Adiwang headlining the ONE NextGen III on November 26 against fast talking Jared Brooks, expect four members of the famed Baguio-Benguet based squad, three veterans and a first timer, going to the octagon ring in Singapore anytime soon.
The fifth ranked straw weight fighter is expected to go beast mode in the very much delayed against the brash American as he promised a thriller.
Adiwang, 28, made his ONE Championship debut in October 2019 by beating Senzo Ikeda after winning a contract with the Singapore promotion through the ONE Warrior Series.
Adiwang has won but one of his five assignments in Asia’s biggest mixed martial arts promotion. The only blemish was his controversial defeat Hiroba Minowa, now ranked third in the strawweight rankings, in October 2020.
During a replay of the fight, Minowa was seen tapping out on a submission attempt by Adiwang. But it was not seen by Adiwang or the referee during the fight as Minowa ended up winning the fight via split decision.
Last september, Adiwang ended up victorious against China’s Hexi Getu in “ONE: Revolution” by way of unanimous decision win.
Brooks (16-2, 1 no contest) will make his debut with ONE Championship.
The two have recently taken jabs at each other, albeit verbal, as their clash looms.
They were supposed to face each other last April but Adiwang tested positive for Covid-19.
It will be Adiwang’s first appearance in a main event fight in ONE Championship.
Meanwhile, the son of Team Lakay founder Marques Sangiao is expected to make his debut anytime as one of the stable’s most dominant fighters will make his debut in the Singapore based MMA promotions and two veterans are expected to fight soon.
Jhanlo Sangiao, fondly refered to by the Team Lakay founder as first of the Team Ubbing (young or next generation), and former Brave CF bantamweight champion Stephen Loman are expected to make their debut soon.
The 19-year old and Loman, will make their highly-anticipated promotional debut against Paul Lumihi and Yusup Saadulaev, respectively.
Kevin Belingon, the former ONE bantamweight world champion, meanwhile, is also set to return to the octagon ring against the hard-hitting Kwon Won Il of South Korea.
Belingon, 34, is on a three game losing streak including a defeat to former UFC fighter John Lineker in October 2020. Belingon lost via second-round technical knockout.
Former one-time world title challenger and ONE flyweight grand prix grand finalist Danny Kingad is also slated to end his 23-month lay-off. The 26-year-old is set to take on the former ONE flyweight world champion Kairat Akhmetov.
Akhmetov had a two game fight against former ONE Flyweight champion Geje Eustaquio where he won the first, albeit a controversial one, and lost in the second. Eustaquio then went on to beat Bibiano Fernandes to win the title but fell in their rematch to relinquish the belt.
