OPINION: The only way John Lineker can beat Fabricio Andrade

On February 24, John Lineker will attempt to reclaim the ONE bantamweight world championship in an epic rematch with fellow Brazilian bantamweight contender Fabricio Andrade.

The two heavy-handed warriors will run back their highly entertaining scrap from ONE on Prime Video 3 in October. Unfortunately, the contest ended in anticlimactic fashion after an accidental low blow from Andrade resulted in the bout being declared a no contest.

After the matchup, fans were buzzing about the fight-ending sequence. Moments before the errant knee to Lineker’s nether region, Andrade landed another solid knee to the body of the former champion that clearly had ‘Hands of Stone’ on the ropes.

What many viewers seem to forget is what happened in the prior rounds, specifically the second, where John Lineker saw his greatest success against Fabricio Andrade. Anyone familiar with Lineker knows his most dangerous strikes are his devastating hooks. A left hook scored the biggest win of his career when he knocked out ONE legend Bibiano Fernandes to capture the ONE bantamweight world championship.

Lineker had success against Andrade in the second round of their ONE on Prime Video 3 meeting when he was able to land his hooks. Andrade clearly looked hurt, though ‘Wonder Boy’ would never admit it.

If Lineker can land those hooks again in their rematch later this month, it will give him the opening he needs to finish ‘Wonder Boy’ once and for all. However, Lineker needs to see the opening and capitalize on it instead of letting Andrade off the hook, no pun intended, as he did in October.

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Counterstriking will be pivotal to John Lineker’s success at ONE Fight Night 7

The longer the fight goes on, the more it will favor Fabricio Andrade/ 'Wonder Boy' had the superior gas tank in their first meeting.

John Lineker’s best bet is to finish Andrade before things go to the championship rounds, but that doesn’t mean he should empty his tank right out of the gate. Andrade will undoubtedly come out firing on all cylinders to make a statement early.

If Lineker focuses on counterstriking to the body in order to slow down Andrade, he can open Andrade up to a potential walk-off knockout for the ages.

Emanating from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Thailand, John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade will go to war once again to crown a new ONE bantamweight world champion. Fans in North America can catch the highly anticipated rematch live and for free on Amazon Prime Video.

Will Andrade capture his first ONE world championship or will John Lineker become a two-time bantamweight titleholder? Fans around the glove will find out soon enough.