Bantamweight King Fabricio Andrade Breaks Down Belakh Vs. Kwon At ONE Fight Night 11
ONE Bantamweight World Champion Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade has no shortage of hungry contenders who are dying for a crack at his gold.
Two of those men – #5-ranked Artem Belakh and #3-ranked Kwon Won Il – will throw down in a pivotal MMA battle on June 9 at ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video, live from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Naturally, the bantamweight king will be tuning in to watch that contest, well aware that the winner could be a future opponent.
And looking ahead, Andrade sees the matchup as a classic grappler-versus-striker clash.
He told ONEFC.com:
“I believe it will be a good fight. The result will depend on who manages to put their game into practice first. I believe that Artem Belakh will try to put the fight down, and Kwon Won Ill will try to keep the fight standing.”
Indeed, Russian star Belakh is one of the division’s most skilled ground and clinch fighters, while South Korean sensation Kwon is a ruthless knockout artist who owns a 100 percent finishing rate across seven victories in ONE.
According to “Wonder Boy,” the bout will be decided based on where it takes place – on the feet or the mat:
“Everything will depend on who will be able to impose their game. If the fight goes to the ground, Artem will have the advantage. But if Kwon avoids Artem’s takedowns and keeps the fight standing, he will have the advantage.”
Andrade Promises To Knock Out Loman In Potential World Title Clash
While the showdown between Artem Belakh and Kwon Won Il carries major implications for the bantamweight MMA division, Fabricio Andrade has another top-ranked opponent he’d like to take out first.
After his unforgettable World Title-winning performance back in February, the newly crowned king named #2-ranked contender Stephen “The Sniper” Loman as the most deserving next challenger.
But though he sees Loman as the fight to make, “Wonder Boy” isn’t impressed by the Filipino sensation or his three-fight unbeaten run in ONE:
“He’s a guy who doesn’t do much. He’s not very good at striking. He’s not very good at jiu-jitsu. He’s a guy who ties up the fight well. He is very strong physically, so he ties up the fight well. That’s why he makes some pretty boring fights. But I don’t think he poses any danger to me.”
Despite those criticisms, “The Sniper” has looked nothing short of a World Champion-caliber fighter so far.
The 27-year-old Team Lakay star owns an 11-bout winning streak overall and has utilized his prodigious physical gifts to impose his will on some of the division’s finest.
But never one to pull punches inside or outside of the Circle, Andrade isn’t threatened by Loman in the least – and he’s already guaranteeing another spectacular finish if they square off:
“I think the prediction for this fight is pretty simple. We know Loman is going to try to put me down and I’m going to defend the takedowns. I’m going to keep the fight standing, and in striking, he doesn’t pose any danger to me. So it will only be a matter of time before I can knock him out.”
