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“He Plays More In The Long Distance” – John Lineker Surveys Kim Jae Woong Ahead of ONE Fight Night 13

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Having reigned supreme in ONE Championship’s bantamweight division once before, John “Hands of Stone” Lineker is on a journey to reclaim the top spot.

The Brazilian veteran returns at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Saturday, 5th August, where he will meet divisional newcomer and former ranked featherweight contender Kim Jae Woong in a contest that has Fight Of The Night potential written all over it.

Lineker faces a humble return to contention after losing out to Fabricio Andrade when they clashed for the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Title clash this past February – in a battle that saw him stopped by knockout for the first time in his illustrious career. 

As he prepares to return to ONE’s global stage this weekend, “Hands of Stone” is aware of the path he must take to get back into World Title contention.

“What excites me the most about this fight, regardless of the opponent, is that I have the opportunity to get back in the game and pursue my goal, which is to fight for the title again,” Lineker stated.

“I think that whatever fight I do from now on, what will excite and motivate me is this opportunity to seek the title again. So, regardless of the opponent, my goal is to fight for the title again.”

It’s unsurprising that many fans have predicted that Lineker and Kim’s bantamweight matchup will be an unmissable firefight.

Both men are proven knockout artists, with seven knockouts across their combined 14 outings in ONE, and they will be out to show that they are well and truly deserving of a place among the upper echelon of the stacked division.

But while “Hands of Stone” anticipates an all-out war with the South Korean standout, the former ONE Bantamweight king feels his own battle-tested striking will be the catalyst as he strives to return to winning ways.

“[Kim’s] game is boxing. He plays more in the long distance. He’s very versatile, he works well on takedown defenses, and he’s also a guy who kicks a lot. But I believe that, in striking, we will put on a show because we both like striking more,” John said.

“I believe I’ll be able to fit my punches more, working hard on the punches in the waistline. As I said, he is a striker who works in the long distance, and I like to work more in the short distance. I believe that I can hit him more with my striking.”