ONE Championship returns to Lumpinee Stadium and U.S. primetime on Friday, February 24. ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video will crown a new bantamweight king as John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade run it back for the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Championship in the main event. But that’s certainly not all that is on the docket.
Matches across kickboxing, mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, and submission grappling will go down in Bangkok. With another fun night ahead of us all, it’s time to take a look at three of the standout matches on the card. Here are the three bouts to watch at ONE Fight Night 7.
John Lineker vs. Fabricio Andrade
Their first match ended in a no contest and left the ONE Bantamweight World Championship vacant. Many questions were looming after the first encounter that will be answered on Friday. But when John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade mix it up inside Lumpinee Stadium, there will be so much more to digest in the rematch.
After the first meeting, Lineker was adamant that he was not worried about Andrade’s power and was going to rally in the upcoming rounds. Is that going to be the case? Likewise, Andrade was sure he was close to a finish. Can he replicate his performance this time around?
An additional note is that this rematch will be contested inside of a ring and not the Circle. How much will that change the dynamics of the action? Can Lineker corner Andrade and unleash his powerful hooks? It is a compelling addition to the rematch that will play a significant role in this matchup.
These two elite bantamweights have the stage to themselves as the main event, and fans can see the two Brazilian sluggers go for broke to grab the gold. It is almost guaranteed to be exciting, given their history. But the title hanging in the balance adds the extra spice to make this February’s best bout.
Eko Roni Saputra vs. Danny Kingad
Eko Roni Saputra has been on an astonishing streak as of late. It is one of the sport’s least talked about and unheralded runs today. He has won seven straight bouts by first-round finish, which includes six submission wins. He is nearing the rankings, and one more win will put him on the list of top contenders.
But #3-ranked contender Danny Kingad is not ready to relinquish his spot among the title contenders. With a big win over Saputra, Kingad throws his name right back into the mix for the winner of Demetrious Johnson vs. Adriano Moraes. “The King” has his own motivation to show out on the massive stage of Prime Video.
This is one of the best matchups on the books for the first quarter of 2023, and it is flying under the radar. Saputra vs. Kingad is a great stylistic clash for both men, and it will put the winner right at the top of the division. These are the bouts fans want to see, and it’ll happen in primetime.
Uali Kurzhev vs. Tommy Langaker
Three bonus bouts will help get the night started before the main card kicks off on Prime Video. One of those bouts is not to be missed. Uali Kurzhev and Tommy Langaker will hit the canvas for the evening’s first submission grappling match and are sure to put together a fun bout for grappling fans.
For Langaker, it is an even more important matchup. The Norwegian could notch his second victory on the global stage and set himself up to be the top contender for the ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Championship. After defeating Renato Canuto at ONE 160, Langaker is already near a title shot, and one more performance could do the trick.
Under ONE’s submission grappling ruleset, aggression is rewarded. It is what submission grappling is supposed to be, and Langaker and Kurzhev will go after it when the bell rings. This is bound to be fun, and with the added stakes, it needs to be seen.
ONE Fight Night 7: Lineker vs. Andrade II airs live from Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, February 24. The three bonus bouts begin at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST across all ONE platforms. The main card is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers located in the U.S. and Canada and starts at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST.
