Kevin Belingon is looking to deny Martin Nguyen's shot at history – and etch his name in the record books in the process. Handout photo

MANILA, Philippines – Martin Nguyen has made no secret of his desire to make history as the first-ever three-division world champion at ONE: Reign of Kings.

But his opponent, Filipino spitfire Kevin Belingon, is also looking to etch his name in the record books.

Belingon and Nguyen will face off in the main event of ONE: Reign of Kings on July 27 at the Mall of Asia Arena, with the winner of the five-round clash emerging as the interim ONE bantamweight world champion.

If Nguyen is triumphant, he will hold titles in three different weight divisions, having already won the belts in lightweight and featherweight.

However, if Belingon succeeds, he will not only claim the title, he will also help the Philippines set a record of most championship wins in the seven-year history of the promotion.

"The main goal for Filipino martial arts athletes like me is to bring pride, honor and glory to our country. This match against Martin Nguyen on July 27 is another opportunity to hoist the Philippine flag aloft on the world stage of this beautiful sport," Belingon declared.

READ: Nguyen looking to make history at the expense of Belingon

To date, there have been four Filipino world champions under the ONE Championship banner since 2013.

Honorio Banario became the first Filipino competitor to claim the gold when he defeated compatriot Eric Kelly via fourth-round stoppage to claim the inaugural ONE featherweight belt in February 2013.

Two years later, Brandon Vera became the first-ever ONE heavyweight champion by knocking out Paul Cheng in just 26 seconds.

Eduard Folayang became the third Filipino fighter to win ONE Championship gold in November 2016, when he pulled off a major upset by beating Japanese legend Shinya Aoki to capture the lightweight belt.

Geje Eustaquio joined the list in January, as he won the interim ONE flyweight title, thanks to a split decision over Kairat Akhmetov, before becoming the undisputed king of his division by beating Adriano Moraes just last June.

With the interim bantamweight title on the line, the match against Nguyen carries special significance for Belingon.

Since losing to Bibiano Fernandes in a bantamweight title match in January 2016, Belingon has put together a five-bout winning streak – a run that saw him beat some of the best that the division has to offer.

Another victory will make him a world champion – a goal that he has chased ever since launching his mixed martial arts career in June 2007.

"Becoming the champion has been my goal since my career started. It is a lifelong dream for me. I need to win my next bout to turn my dream into a reality," said Belingon.

"This is going to be a very exciting match," he predicted. "To take on an elite athlete like Martin, it will only be good for my experience."

"I look forward to testing my skills against him."

Belingon likes his chances even against a dynamic knockout artist in Nguyen, even as he stressed that he cannot underestimate the two-division world champion.

"Martin has very good, high-level skills. His wrestling is very strong, and so is his boxing. He is aggressive, and he punches with power. There is no underestimating this guy," said the Filipino standout.

"But I think his biggest weakness is his speed, especially in this fight. He is not faster than me. I think this will come down to who gets there first," Belingon added.

While Belingon is still best known for his striking prowess and knockout power, the Team Lakay star assured that he is prepared to go the distance with Nguyen, if necessary.

"I am training very hard to make sure I am well-equipped with everything I need to face any situation. If I have the opportunity to finish him, I will not hesitate to grab that chance," said Belingon. 

"But I am prepared for this fight to go full five rounds as well," he promised.

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