'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
John Lineker has taken an interesting turn in his career in recent months that nobody saw coming.
The Brazilian martial artist is one of the most established competitors in the bantamweight MMA division and has been for a long time. As a former world champion, he's still right at the top of the weight class, but his recent outings have moved away from that.
Lineker has recently earned back-to-back knockout wins in Muay Thai, where his skillset has proven to be incredibly effective.
His next outing at ONE Fight Night 27 on Jan. 10 also takes place under the same discipline as he faces Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai in a must-watch bantamweight fight.
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
While a win over his next opponent will seemingly put him toward the top end of the bantamweight Muay Thai division, that isn't much of a concern to John Lineker.
He told ONE Championship in a recent interview ahead of his return this weekend that reclaiming the MMA world championship is still his number one priority right now:
"After that, [reclaiming the ONE bantamweight MMA world title], I might think about fighting for the Muay Thai world title. But right now, I'm not thinking about that. But who knows, maybe in the future I might get excited about that possibility?"
John Lineker could be at the top in two divisions
While competing for the Muay Thai world championship may not be his ultimate goal, John Lineker could be about to announce himself in this division.
He's already one of the top MMA contenders in his weight class but beating Kulabdam at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, will be another huge win for him.
The knockout artist is one of the most reliably exciting competitors in all of combat sports, so no one is going to turn down the opportunity of watching him face top-level opposition.
If he's able to put on a show on Jan. 10, he won't be too far away from earning title shots in multiple disciplines. Who knows, two-sport glory could follow suit.
ONE Fight Night 27 will be available to all active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America live in U.S. primetime for free.
