“I’m going to look for the knockout all the time” - John Lineker bringing the same killer instinct in his kickboxing debut at ONE 172

John Lineker left a lot of jaws on the floor when he found instant success in Muay Thai.

After displaying his raw power in 'The Art of Eight Limbs', the former bantamweight MMA world champion will now bring his 'Hands of Stone' to kickboxing.

The Brazilian firecracker will jump into the deep end right away, as he'll slug it out with former bantamweight kickboxing world champion Hiroki Akimoto at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang.

In an interview with ONE Championship, the 34-year-old veteran expressed his excitement to conquer his third combat sport in the home of martial arts.

“I’m very happy and excited, and we’ll see what happens with this fight. I’m preparing a lot.”

Moreover, John Lineker promised that the game plan would stay the same as it always has been - to find an opening and finish his opponent violently. He added:

“So, I’m going to look for the knockout all the time, in every round. My prediction for this fight is that I’ll win by knockout.”

Style-wise, this is going to be an interesting matchup given Lineker's marauding ways going up against Akimoto's methodical approach.

We'll soon see if power beats finesse at ONE 172, which will take place at Saitama Super Arena on March 23. Visit watch.onefc.com for more information about ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang

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Hiroki Akimoto unfazed by John Lineker's mind-numbing power

Hiroki Akimoto has fought plenty of heavy hitters over the years. That said, the Japanese striker doesn't seem bothered by John Lineker's notorious reputation as one of the nastiest knockout artists in combat sports.

Speaking during the ONE 172 press conference, Akimoto praised the Brazilian's career accolades but vowed to exploit the holes in his wild striking arsenal:

"Lineker has been an MMA champion and recently had three Muay Thai fights. While he's a decisive fighter who scores knockdowns and KOs in his fights, I notice he has some openings. I'm looking to capitalize on those for a counter-KO."