"Who wants to fight? Who wants smoke? I'm waiting" - Fabricio Andrade issues open challenge to top bantamweights

Fabricio Andrade has built enough of a reputation to power himself into the top five of ONE Championship’s bantamweight rankings. He feels that he should already be part of the division’s title conversation.

The Brazilian has won all four of his fights in the promotion to push him to the No.4 contender spot on the ladder. Andrade believes that a win over another ranked opponent would ultimately earn him that all-important title match against newly-crowned ONE bantamweight world champion John Lineker.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post’s Nick Atkin, Andrade essentially issued an open challenge to the other members of ONE's bantamweight elite.

Andrade said:

“Everybody, who wants to fight? Who wants smoke? I’m waiting [for a fight] next month, who wants it? Anyone in the top five, I’m waiting for you next month and I don’t care who. I can fight the No.1, No.2, the No.3 - it doesn’t matter who it is. It doesn’t matter who it is, I'm ready to fight all of them.”

Catch the full interview below:

Fabricio Andrade choked out Mark Abelardo in his first fight for ONE Championship in July 2020. He followed that up with a unanimous decision victory over Shoko Sato, who was a ranked fighter during their January 2021 match.

Since then, the 24-year-old has beaten Li Kai Wen and Jeremy Pacatiw via first-round knockouts to earn his spot among the elite.

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Fabricio Andrade feels disrespected contenders don’t call him out

Bantamweight is one of the deepest divisions in ONE Championship. So far this year, Lineker has knocked out longtime champion Bibiano Fernandes, while newcomer Stephen Loman burst onto the scene and became the division’s No.3 contender after beating Yusup Saadulaev in his first fight in the promotion.

Kwon Won Il, the No.2 contender, earned his seat at the table when he scored a knockout over former world champion Kevin Belingon, the No.5 contender, in December 2021.

Andrade, however, feels disrespected that none of the other contenders have ever called him out publicly. The rising star says they are all running scared.

“I see a lot of people getting a title shot with three wins, two wins and I have four already. Nobody mentions my name and that’s a bit disrespectful. I know nobody’s saying, ‘I wanna fight Fabricio Andrade.’ I wanna hear somebody say that because I’m waiting.”

Farbricio Andrade will no doubt be awaiting a response from the rest of the top bantamweight contenders.