Eustaquio prevails, but Belingon, Adiwang lose at 'Inside the Matrix 3'

Geje Eustaquio salvaged a win for Team Lakay in One: Inside the Matrix 3. One Championship

By Dugout Philippines

SINGAPORE—Brazilian thunderbolt John "Hands of Stone" Lineker used a dynamic performance to stop former ONE bantamweight world champion and current number one ranked contender Kevin "The Silencer" Belingon in the second round of the headliner of ONE: Inside the Matrix 3 recently at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

At the opening bell of the previously recorded clash that was aired on Friday night, Lineker and Belingon met at the center of the ONE circle and looked to trade their heaviest shots.

Belingon dazzled with his usual display of flashy spinning attacks and powerful combinations, while Lineker kept tight pressure and battered the Filipino with concussive hooks and uppercuts.

In the middle of the second round, a right uppercut to the temple dropped Belingon, and Lineker quickly swarmed his foe to earn the technical knockout victory. With the win, the Brazilian announced himself as a serious threat to reigning ONE bantamweight world champion Bibiano Fernandes.

In the co-main event, former ONE flyweight world champion Geje "Gravity" Eustaquio of the Philippines put on a striking clinic against South Korea's "Running Man" Song Min Jong.

It was a vintage performance for the Team Lakay veteran, as Eustaquio dominated with a showcase of sharp counter strikes.

Song would look to employ his grappling, but Eustaquio used his experience to escape a ground battle.

In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Eustaquio to win by unanimous decision.

In the night’s opening bout, Shooto Champion Hiroba Minowa of Japan overcame a furious start from number five ranked strawweight Lito "Thunder Kid" Adiwang of the Philippines to earn a close split decision victory.

Adiwang started the bout fast and caught Minowa with a deep kimura early on, but the Japanese phenom somehow survived.

The 21-year-old Minowa then put on a grappling showcase in the second and third rounds, establishing control over Adiwang to win on the judges' scorecards.

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