ONE Fight Night 7: John Lineker Plans To ‘Impose His Game’ On Fabricio Andrade

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Bangkok, February 9: John Lineker has had plenty of important fights before, but none of them as critical as his rematch with Fabricio Andrade on Saturday, February 25.

"Hands of Stone" has the unique opportunity to win his ONE Bantamweight World Championship back when he faces Andrade at ONE Fight Night 7 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Fight fans will not be quick to forget the unfortunate first showdown between the two bantamweights, which started with Lineker being stripped of his title after missing weight and ended with the 32-year-old reeling in pain on the floor from an accidental groin strike, forcing the fight to be declared a no-contest.

While their first match at ONE Fight Night 3 was back in October 2022, Lineker has taken the time to analyze "Wonder Boy's" game plan since then.

"I noticed some gaps in [Andrade's] game. I also noticed his strengths, so in some way, it will help and I certainly won't take as many hits as I did in the last fight. So, the fact that I've already fought him, I believe it can help with some aspects of the fight, like his movement and attacks," Lineker said.

The first fight seemed to be going in Andrade's favor, with the 25-year-old controlling much of the action and pressuring Lineker with a barrage of blows.

However, the American Top Team athlete has been a superstar for many years due to his stellar fight performances. Lineker defeated none other than long-time ONE World Champion Bibiano Fernandes for the bantamweight belt at ONE: LIGHTS OUT in March 2022 and owns a 75 percent finishing rate in the Circle.

While he faces a younger challenger with four finishes in the organization, Lineker is confident that he will emerge the victor in this second matchup.

"When I close my eyes, I see myself imposing my game, going up all the time, nonstop. And that's what will happen. I'm training for this. One thing I never do in a fight is back off. I'm going to press all the time, and I'm going to do what I know how to do best, which is to fight," he said.

"This fight will show that he didn't beat me and that he wasn't the one who took my belt. But like I said, none of us have anything to prove. We're going to enter the cage, do our best, and in the end, we'll see who will leave with their arms raised."

Catch all the ONE Fight Night 7: Lineker vs. Andrade II action on Saturday, 25 February, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, live and exclusive on Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar in India.

Source: Media Release