"He's a natural striker" - Stephen Loman believes former foe John Lineker will have a seamless transition to Muay Thai

Stephen Loman (L) and John Lineker (R) - Image credit: ONE Championship
Stephen Loman (L) and John Lineker (R) - Image credit: ONE Championship

If there's any fighter who knows just how hard John Lineker hits, it's certainly his former foe Stephen Loman. The Filipino fell to 'Hands of Stone's' atomic power back when they shared the Circle at ONE Fight Night Night 14 last year.

Lineker, the former bantamweight MMA world champion, has agreed to take on a new challenge and transition to Muay Thai at ONE 168: Denver.

The Brazilian KO artist will make his debut in 'The Art of Eight Limbs' against Asa Ten Pow inside Ball Arena on Sept. 6.

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While an all-striking battle is certainly new territory for Lineker, Loman believes he'll fit right in.

Asked if the 34-year-old will struggle in Muay Thai, 'The Sniper' shared this candid response in a Sportskeeda MMA exclusive:

"Not really, because he has all the tools to do it. He's a natural striker. Since he's coming over to Muay Thai, I feel that he's training his kicks heavily."

John Lineker terrorized the MMA competition with his sprawl and brawl style, mostly using his explosive boxing skills to rack up knockout victories.

The 34-year-old slugger does have stinging low kicks in his arsenal, but he's certainly gonna need to mix it up against a veteran striker like Asa Ten Pow.

How will John Lineker fare in Muay Thai move?

It remains to be seen how John Lineker's transition to 'The Art of Eight Limbs' will unfold.

It is worth noting that under the ONE banner, Muay Thai fights are contested in four-ounce gloves, which should no doubt bode well for a power puncher like Lineker.

The destructive capabilities of 'Hands of Stone's' fists have been well-documented over the years. It only takes one clean shot for Lineker to change the entire complexion of a match.

However, Asa Ten Pow seems to have more striking tools in his arsenal, not to mention more experience under the ruleset.

One thing's for sure, we don't want to miss this high-octane showdown between these two world-class strikers. Tickets for ONE 168 are available via Ticketmaster.

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Edited by Krishna Venki
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