Fabricio Andrade went from being a newbie to becoming a world title contender in just two short years.
The No.2-ranked bantamweight contender will try to fulfill his destiny when he challenges John Lineker for the ONE bantamweight world title in the main event of ONE on Prime Video 3 on October 21 at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
In an interview with Sherdog's Tudor Leonte, Andrade said that a specific set of circumstances led him to sign with ONE Championship.
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'Wonder Boy' revealed that he was already trying to join ONE Championship in early 2020. He ultimately got his chance when the promotion needed fighters who were already in Thailand to fight in one of its Bangkok cards during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fabricio Andrade said:
“In 2020, I was already trying to sign with ONE. It was the goal that I had, but I haven’t fought for almost one year. I was still training a lot, and I was mentalizing [manifesting] that I was going to sign with them.”
He spoke about how the opportunity came knocking on his door:
“When COVID came, they needed fighters that were in Thailand. That was the perfect opportunity for me at the time. I got a short-notice fight in three to four weeks, but I was already training at the time. I was just waiting for an opportunity. In my brain, I was thinking it’s my time to show everybody the fighter that I am and the level I’m at. I came and surprised everybody because nobody knew me at the time.”
The Brazilian star, who was already based in Thailand during the global lockdown, got his big opportunity when he debuted against Mark Abelardo at ONE: No Surrender in July 2020. That first fight alone made Andrade an instant attraction when he submitted Abelardo with a rear-naked choke in the second round.
Fabricio Andrade has since built an incredible 5-0 record and is now on a streak of three straight first-round knockouts that culminated in a body shot finish of Kwon Won Il at ONE 158 this past June.
Fabricio Andrade vows to end John Lineker's reign
Fabricio Andrade has effectively shaken off his upstart label and he’s now ready to grab the biggest opportunity of his career. As confident as anyone in the sport, Andrade said he'll send Lineker to the nether realms in the most explosive way possible.
Fabricio Andrade, during the ONE on Prime Video 3 virtual press conference, downplayed Lineker’s boxing and said that he would be the one to finish off the bantamweight king in Malaysia:
“He thinks I’m like all the other guys he’s fought. He has no idea what’s coming. He can throw all the punches he wants. I’m still going to knock him out.”