“There's no other fight that makes sense” – John Lineker says trilogy with Fabricio Andrade is inevitable after recent career surge

Former ONE bantamweight MMA world champion and mixed martial arts veteran ‘Hands of Stone’ John Lineker feels as though he has done more than enough to prove he is worthy of another shot at ONE Championship gold.

The heavy-handed 33-year-old veteran fighter is one of the most dangerous competitors in the world at bantamweight, with a professional record of 37-10, 1NC, including a whopping 18 wins by knockout. He is also the no.1-ranked bantamweight MMA contender, leading the pack of an elite top five in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

After two solid victories to get himself back on track, however, Lineker says he has earned the right to a rematch with reigning and undisputed ONE bantamweight MMA world champion ‘Wonder Boy’ Fabricio Andrade.

Speaking to Sportskeeda MMA in an exclusive interview, Lineker says he is gunning for a third showdown with Andrade for all the marbles.

‘Hands of Stone’ said:

“I want to fight for the title again. I think I deserve it. I come from two good victories and I believe there is no other fight that makes sense other than a fight for the belt.”

Needless to say, fans would love to see a third fight between Lineker and Andrade, given how the first two encounters went.

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‘Hands of Stone’ John Lineker seeks trilogy showdown with ‘Wonder Boy’ Fabricio Andrade

John Lineker first met Fabricio Andrade in October of 2022, when he was then the undisputed owner of the ONE bantamweight MMA world title.

‘Wonder Boy’ came in the hot rising star, looking to claim the gold, while Lineker, the grizzled veteran, tried his best to hold onto the belt. After months of intense back and forth, the two finally met in the Circle, and the action more than lived up to the hype.

Unfortunately, that fight ended in a No Contest after an inadvertent low blow from Andrade forced a halt to the contest. Lineker also lost the title on the scales prior to the match, as the 33-year-old failed to make weight.

The two met again in February of 2023, this time with the vacant bantamweight MMA belt on the line. It was Andrade who emerged victorious, winning via fourth-round TKO to capture the throne.

Now with two straight victories in ONE, Lineker is looking for a third fight with Andrade to settle the score once and for all.