Troy Worthen breaks down the John Lineker vs. Bibiano Fernandes title fight

Troy Worthen's last ONE Championship appearance came against John Lineker last April and ended in defeat via first-round knockout.

With the result, 'Hands of Stone' earned his title shot against Bibiano Fernandes. The pair will compete later this year. Worthen has now shared his thoughts on the upcoming title fight.

Having faced the Brazilian bantamweight, the American sees Bibiano Fernandes having a hard time taking him to the ground.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Worthen said:

"If Bibiano can get the takedown, which is hard because, you know, John has a very low center of gravity. He’s a short guy, he’s really stocky to try and get to his legs and he holds his hands low because he’s just bombing hooks from his hips. You have to be tricky to get in there and maybe push him against the cage and just make it dirty."

The 41-year-old Fernandes has a professional record of 24-4, with nine submission wins to his name. Known as a grappler, Worthen sees the fight favoring the defending champion if the he scores a takedown.

"If Bibiano can get him to the ground, I think he does submit him. He’s just so good. If John can impose his game well and just make it a brawl, he’s probably gonna end up knocking Bibiano [out]. This comes down to who can implement their game plan."

Overall, Worthen believes the bout between the top bantamweights in ONE Championship will be determined by who gets to maximize their strengths over the other.

"It’s a bit higher of a chance that John gets the knockout just because Bibano doesn’t have the best footwork to work his way in and out. Probably John bombing those hooks, he catches one but I wouldn’t be surprised if Bibiano slips in a choke or catches him in an armbar."

Catch Troy Worthen's full interview with the South China Morning Post below:

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Troy Worthen looks to snap his losing skid against Shuya Kamikubo in ONE: Heavy Hitters

After scoring three straight wins upon entering ONE Championship, Troy Worthen experienced the first losses of his MMA career. The first setback was against Yusup Saadulaev. His most recent defeat came opposite title contender John Lineker.

He will be looking to bounce back with a win against Shuya Kamikubo. The pair are set to collide at ONE: Heavy Hitters this Friday, January 14 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The 28-year-old Japanese fighter has only been defeated once in a dozen professional MMA bouts. He has also not lost a match in five fights in ONE Championship. 'Sealth' will carry a nine-fight winning streak into his fight against Worthen.