ONE 172: MMA Legend John Lineker Explains Why He’s Competing In Muay Thai And Kickboxing

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At nearly 35 years old, most fighters start thinking about retirement and life beyond the ring. But not John Lineker. The legendary MMA fighter continues to reinvent himself with every opportunity and is now gearing up for his ONE Championship kickboxing debut at ONE 172 on Sunday, 23 March.

Airing live on watch.onefc.com via global PPV from the historic Saitama Super Arena in Japan, the Brazilian will take on hometown hero and former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto in a bantamweight showdown.

Over the past seven months, the OCS Jiu-Jitsu star made his Muay Thai debut and secured a 2-1 record in the sport with his concussive power. "Hands of Stone" wants to continue testing his skills and take advantage of the opportunity to stay active.

"In these Muay Thai fights I've been able to prove that I can go head-to-head with anyone. Now I'm going to test myself in kickboxing, with a bigger glove. I'm very excited about this fight," Lineker said.

"But I'm accepting these fights, so I don't stay still until I'm scheduled to fight MMA again. So, I'm taking advantage of these fights to not stand still and test myself even more in other areas."

The 34-year-old superstar is regarded as one of the most powerful punchers in MMA. With a record of 37-11 and 22 finishes, he remains a dangerous opponent. While he stays active with his preparations for all-striking bouts, his primary focus remains MMA.

Lineker claimed the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Championship by defeating longtime kingpin Bibiano Fernandes in 2022. He later defended his strap against his compatriot Fabricio Andrade. However, an unintentional low blow ended the fight in a no contest.

In the rematch, Andrade TKO'd his rival to claim the belt. Now, the fighter who made his professional MMA debut in 2008 believes the trilogy fight is inevitable. In fact, Lineker asserts that he's the only one capable of challenging the reigning World Champion.

"Of course, my focus is MMA, but the fights I was doing were getting me really excited. When we're winning, we get excited, right? But let's see what happens," Lineker said.

"I think about doing this trilogy with Fabricio. I'm very active, so there's no reason why I shouldn't do this fight against him. And I believe I'm next in line. Right now, I can't see anyone who can compete with Fabricio. I'm the only one who can compete with Fabricio."