ONE Fight Night 25: “I Want To Break Him” – Alexey Balyko Plans To Make John Lineker Feel Powerless

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Bantamweight Muay Thai brawler Alexey Balyko graduated from the ONE Friday Fights series onto ONE Championship's global roster after three wins with two knockouts. And at ONE Fight Night 25: Nicolas vs. Eersel II, he plans to take former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker to school.

Balyko meets the legendary Brazilian in a bantamweight Muay Thai tussle this Saturday, 5 October, inside Bangkok, Thailand's Lumpinee Stadium. Despite Lineker's explosive punching power, Balyko isn't impressed by the veteran's overall acumen.

Admittedly, he knows Lineker can draw anyone into a firefight. So instead, he says he's going to remain cool, calm, and collected in order to pepper his foe and show him what real Muay Thai is all about.

"For some reason, Lineker decided to fight in Muay Thai, which surprises me a lot. He can't even kick higher than a low kick. If he chose to grapple, I think people would be less surprised. His punches might be heavy, but they are wide and slow," Balyko said.

"In the fight with me, he'll get a taste of the Soviet school of boxing! My main focus is not to get too carried away and not make a silly mistake. I will approach this fight with a cool head and fierce determination.

"My strategy will be to make him feel powerless. I want to break him mentally.

Across almost 50 professional MMA fights, Lineker has seen every kind of challenge that can come a combatant's way. He's been there and done it. But Balyko believes that mindset will lead the Brazilian to his downfall.

The 31-year-old is entering his sporting prime right now, and he proved that with a first-round knockout of Ireland's greatest Muay Thai star Stefan Korodi at ONE Fight Night 23 in July.

So, if Lineker is overlooking Balyko's prowess, the Tiger Muay Thai product promises to give the former bantamweight MMA king a stark reminder when the bell rings this weekend at Lumpinee Stadium.

"Honestly, I don't see anything particularly dangerous about him. He's just a man like me. Though, surprisingly, he's shorter than me," Balyko said.

"I'm sure he's underestimating me, and that will play to my advantage. I think he'll wait for his moment as usual, hoping to catch me when I make a mistake and then end the fight. But he doesn't know me well. I think I'll be a surprise for him."