John Lineker vs. Fabricio Andrade II ONE Fight Night 7 preview

The vacant bantamweight throne will finally have a ruler at ONE Fight Night 7: Lineker vs. Andrade II on Prime Video on February 24 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

A rematch was definitely in order as soon as the first encounter between Fabricio Andrade and John Lineker was ruled a no-contest. It was an action-packed affair back in ONE on Prime Video 3 last year, as the pair of Brazilian heavy-hitters had their moments and were both extremely close to finishing the other.

By round 3, ‘Wonder Boy’ was poised to realize his dream of becoming a world champion after drilling Lineker with his signature knee to the body. However, a cruel twist of fate put a wrench in those plans, as his follow-up shot unintentionally nailed ‘Hands of Stone’ in the groin, rendering him unable to continue.

Both fighters are now seeking retribution in arguably the biggest do-over in the promotion’s history. The only way to end this rivalry once and for all is with a decisive knockout victory.

ONE Fight Night 7 will air on US primetime and will be free for Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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Fabricio Andrade is out to prove why he’s the "uncrowned king” of the bantamweights

Fabricio Andrade’s rise from a promising prospect into a full-blown superstar was one of the biggest storylines in ONE Championship in 2022. The 25-year-old ravaged everyone in his path and seemed destined for greatness.

Andrade had it all. He had the skillset, bravado, and charisma of a true world champion. The only thing missing was the massive gold strap to vindicate his achievements. In the aftermath of his first world title shot, Andrade was understandably distraught on his way back to the locker room.

Who can blame him? The world title was literally at his fingertips but was taken away due to an unintentional foul.

The Tiger Muay Thai product admitted that for a while, he was emotionally in a dark place. After allowing himself to come to terms with those feelings, Andrade went back to work and made the necessary adjustments so that he’ll never have to go through that again.

Andrade has already absorbed Lineker’s best shot and knows he can weather that storm once more. He believes he has the mental edge as well and is living rent-free in Lineker’s head after almost becoming the first fighter to knock him out.

As far as ‘Wonder Boy’ is concerned, the first match was just a slight detour on his path to the top of the heap.

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Can John Lineker silence the doubters and reclaim his bantamweight crown?

Being on the receiving end of a torrent of criticism is nothing new for John Lineker. His battles with the scales over the years have made him a favorite target among detractors throughout his storied career.

But time and time again, Lineker just kept his head down and let his fists of fury do the talking. The soft-spoken knockout artist often makes the loudest noise once the bell rings. ‘Hands of Stone’ lived up to his moniker when he ended Bibiano Fernandes’ reign of terror in the 145-pound division with a highlight-reel-worthy destruction last year.

The Brazilian slugger, though, was stripped of the belt after missing weight in what was supposed to be his first world title defense. A shattered cup against Andrade added to his misery, along with pundits questioning his legacy after almost getting finished by his younger rival.

Aware of his shortcomings both in and out of the circle, Lineker wants to capitalize on the golden opportunity at hand. The 32-year-old can tune out the noise if he can catch 'Wonder Boy' with one of those heavy bombs at ONE Fight Night 7.

Lineker was having success with his striking and grappling in his first match with Andrade. It wasn’t like he was outclassed the entire fight prior to that unfortunate ending.

The former world champion went back to his roots and trained exclusively in Brazil this time around. ‘Hands of Stone’ has made the necessary adjustments and will look to deliver the most satisfying knockout of his career.