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Brazil’s Fabricio Andrade has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in ONE Championship in recent years. ‘Wonder Boy’ is unbeaten through six fights inside the circle, solidifying his place as the top bantamweight contender in the promotion.
Whilst he isn’t the ONE bantamweight world champion, Andrade considers himself to be the uncrowned king after his performance against John Lineker at ONE on Prime Video 3.
Although he put on a great display of striking in his world title fight, he landed a knee to the groin of Lineker, which ended the fight in a no contest after the accidental foul meant Lineker couldn’t continue.
In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Fabricio Andrade was asked if there were any names that he would like to stand across from him inside the circle. He replied:
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“When I joined ONE, I had a few names in my mind because they were ahead of me in the rankings and I wanted to fight whoever was ahead of me. But now, I reached the top and these guys who are coming need to show why they deserve to fight me. I think today I'm the guy to beat in the bantamweight division and the other fighters need to show their work. They need to improve, evolve, and have exciting fights to show that they deserve to fight me. So, I don't have any names in my mind anymore. Now is the time to finish off the Lineker. And Loman is next.”
At ONE on Prime Video 7, Andrade will get his rematch with John Lineker on February 10.
Fabricio Andrade not impressed by Stephen Loman’s win over Bibiano Fernandes
Whilst Fabricio Andrade and John Lineker prepare to settle their score, another bantamweight contender has emerged in Stephen Loman.
The Filipino fighter picked up the biggest win of his career to date at ONE on Prime Video 4. He defeated former ONE bantamweight world champion Bibiano Fernandes to put himself into the world title picture. With a three-fight winning streak inside the circle, it can be argued that Loman is next in line after the two Brazilians at the top of the division.
Despite Loman’s win over one of the promotion’s most dominant world champions ever, Fabricio Andrade was unimpressed by the Filipino’s performance and called the fight “boring” in an interview with ONE Championship:
“It was a boring fight, but Loman showed that he is the next challenger for the belt. But just like Lineker, he didn't impress me because he beat a guy who is at the end of his career, who is almost retiring. It wasn't impressive at all, but he's the next challenger for the belt.”
Though it may not have been a performance that brought the house down, Loman’s win over Fernandes will likely earn him a world title shot against whoever emerges victorious between John Lineker and Andrade at ONE on Prime Video 7.
In the meantime, Loman will have to wait patiently until after February so that Lineker and Andrade can resolve their inconclusive first fight and crown a new ONE bantamweight world champion.
