John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade have unfinished business. The two Brazilians collided last October, but a low blow resulted in a split decision and for the ONE Bantamweight World Championship to remain vacant. At ONE Fight Night 7, the two ONE Championship athletes will give a definitive answer as to who is the better man, and one will walk out with the gold around their waist.
And if you ask ONE athletes, “Wonder Boy” is the definitive favorite heading into the matchup. Andrade was doing exceptionally well and seemingly was close to a title win in their first meeting before the foul. That previous encounter weighed heavy for Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida in making his pick for the rematch.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing this fight between Fabricio and Lineker. [Their first fight] was a wild fight, but it ended up in a no contest. I saw Fabricio’s superiority, and I think he’ll come back even better and come out with the victory. This fight does not end until the end, but I think Fabricio will be the champion,” Almeida told ONE.
Former ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes echoes that same sentiment. Andrade’s showing in the first bout impressed the American Top Team star. With that in his mind, he took Andrade to win the main event as well.
“Analyzing the first fight between them, there’s no way to think differently. I believe Fabrício will take the belt home. By the way he presented himself in the first fight, he showed that he was very well prepared, that he’s very technical and that he’s not a fool when it comes to ground fighting. He defended Lineker’s attempts on the ground well, and certainly, Fabrício Andrade’s Muay Thai is on another level. So, I believe he will become the ONE Bantamweight World Champion,” said Moraes.
Jeremy Pacatiw takes it a step further in analyzing how the first match plays into the second. The Filipino suggested that Andrade has a mental edge over Lineker following their October battle. The added confidence that Andrade will have entering the ring on Friday night will give him the edge needed to win.
Former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan Haggerty agreed. However, the Brit wasn’t as quick to disregard Lineker’s abilities to secure the win. After having felt what Andrade has to offer, Haggerty believes “Hands of Stone” could change his game plan to be more effective in the rematch.
“I feel like Andrade is in Lineker’s head a little bit. Those knees from Andrade were brilliant, but who knows? Lineker might come back with a different game plan, and he’s fought him already now. So, who knows,” said Haggerty.
The stars of ONE all seem to lean toward Andrade, including former ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio. The Team Lakay star complimented Andrade’s ability to read Lineker’s game and manage the distance. Additionally, he cited “Wonder Boy’s” length as an issue for Lineker.
The least surprising pick for the 25-year-old was Anatoly Malykhin. The two are teammates at Tiger Muay Thai and have championed each other’s rise to the top in their respective divisions. The ONE Light Heavyweight and Interim Heavyweight World Champion said Andrade would walk out of Lumpinee Stadium with an emphatic victory.
“I can see that this time [Andrade] is even more charged than before his last fight. Now he has a lot to prove. He is young, he wants to win, he wants the belt, and he wants to honor his country in the ring. There can be only one end to this fight – a knockout. I think Fabricio will win, and he will finish Lineker before the fourth round,” said Malykhin.
ONE Fight Night 7: Lineker vs. Andrade II airs live from Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, February 24. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers located in the U.S. and Canada.
