John Lineker Plans To Rewrite The Script Against Andrade in ONE Fight Night 7 Rematch

John Lineker was involved in one of the year’s most intriguing firefights last October, and the brawling Brazilian is out to silence the doubters when the rematch goes down later this month.

The former ONE Bantamweight World Champion returns to the Circle at ONE Fight Night 7 on Friday, 24th February, where he rematches his heated rival Fabricio Andrade for the vacant divisional crown.

Their first meeting, at ONE on Prime Video 3, was living up to the anticipation right up to its unfortunate ending.

Both athletes had moments of brilliance, but the bout came to an anticlimactic close in the third round after an accidental groin strike to Lineker – one so hard that it shattered his cup – left him unable to continue. 

The bout was ruled a no-contest as a result, and the ONE Bantamweight World Title was left without an owner.

Many fans believe that Andrade looked to be closing in on victory prior to the fateful shot. But Lineker dimisses any claims he was out of the fight

Abead of the rematch, the 32 year-old dynamo plans to use what he learned about his fiery compatriot to flip the script and put on a show. 

“This fight will show that he didn’t beat me and that he wasn’t the one who took my belt. We’re going to enter the cage, do our best, and in the end, we’ll see who will leave with their arms raised,” Lineker asserted.

“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.”

The bantamweight standout has always brings relentless forward pressure in his fights, making every time he steps into the Circle a must-see event.

Now, more motivated than ever to silence the critics and reclaim the World Title he feels he never lost, John Lineker intends to put the pedal to the metal against Andrade in order to leave Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium victorious – and be reunited with the bantamweight crown. 

“When I close my eyes, I see myself imposing my game, going forward all the time, nonstop,” he said. 

“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.”