“A seven out of ten” – Fabricio Andrade says his turbulent 2023 is a mixed bag

Fabricio Andrade may have suffered his first defeat under the ONE Championship banner to close out his 2023. But just nine months prior, the Brazilian was on top of the world and joined an elite list of athletes who call themselves world champions at the promotion.

In February last year, ‘Wonder Boy’ ran it back against John Lineker for the vacant bantamweight crown after their previous fight in October 2022 ended in a no-contest due to an accidental groin strike.

With a chance to gain one of the most prized possessions in MMA inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Fabricio Andrade took control of the contest with a fierce stand-up display that eventually forced ‘Hands of Stone’ to quit on the stools at the end of the fourth canto.

That wasn’t the same case for the much-adored Brazilian athlete, though, when he returned to the Mecca of Muay Thai to square off versus Jonathan Haggerty for the vacant bantamweight kickboxing strap in the main event of ONE Fight Night 16.

The Englishman wrapped up the contest with a second-round KO to hand the Evolve MMA and Tiger Muay Thai athlete the first loss of his career.

Looking back at his 2023, having experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows, the Fortaleza native gave himself a seven out of ten rating. He also explained why he came up short in his battle against ‘The General.’

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Fabricio Andrade shared:

“I would give myself a seven out of ten. I was recovering from a partial tear from November 2022 from the fight against Lineker, but I was able to recover and fight in February. And then, in that fight, I broke my hand again. But in that fight, I was able to become a world champion. Then, I lost to Jonathan Haggerty. So that explains why I would give myself a seven.”

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Fabricio Andrade’s options for a stacked 2024

Fabricio Andrade admits it will take some time to recover from his defeat to Haggerty, but that does not mean he wants to slow down in 2024.

The 26-year-old wants to defend his gold against a deserving bantamweight contender, with Kwon Won Il and John Lineker high on his radar.

At the same time, Fabricio Andrade is eager to improve his kickboxing skills and have a chance at redemption against Haggerty for the Englishman’s kickboxing and Muay Thai strap.

North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can relive ONE Fight Night 16 for free. Fans around the globe can catch the entire card on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel.