Former undisputed ONE bantamweight MMA world champion turned Muay Thai kickboxer 'Hands of Stone' John Lineker of Brazil is gearing up for his latest conquest in the striking arts when he takes on a former world champion.
For Lineker, his battle against previous ONE bantamweight kickboxing king Hiroki Akimoto represents his toughest challenge yet as a pure striker.
The 34-year-old made the transition to Muay Thai late last year, going 2-1 since testing himself in 'the art of eight limbs,' and now the American Top Team veteran is looking to join the ranks of the kickboxing elite in ONE Championship.
Speaking to the promotion in a recent interview, Lineker talked about his upcoming fight against Akimoto, noting the distinct challenges he may face with the Japanese star.
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'Hands of Stone' told the world's largest martial arts organization:
"I think at first it will be a little difficult for me to find the distance and find the timing. It's difficult to say a fighter's weak point, because each fight has a strategy, each fight is a different story, so it's difficult to say a weak point."
Needless to say, Lineker may need to rely on his signature fistic fireworks to get the job done against Akimoto, which is no easy task.
John Lineker makes ONE Championship kickboxing debut against former champion Hiroki Akimoto at ONE 172 in Japan
Brazilian MMA veteran 'Hands of Stone' John Lineker is set to lock horns with former ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Hiroki Akimoto of Japan.
The two throw down at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang, which is set to broadcast live from the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, this Sunday, March 23rd.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live via global pay-per-view only on watch.onefc.com.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.
