What's next for John Lineker after ONE on Prime Video 3?

There’s a dark cloud of uncertainty looming above John Lineker’s head at the moment.

After the dust settled on his controversial no-contest verdict against Fabricio Andrade at ONE on Prime Video 3, many are wondering what’s next for ‘Hands of Stone’?

Prior to the match, Lineker was stripped of his bantamweight world title after once again going over the weight limit. Making matters worse, the hard-hitting Brazilian took an inadvertent knee to the groin from Andrade, which left him grimacing in anguish in the third round.

In the end, the pain was just too unbearable to overcome and the bout was stopped prematurely. Now, the bantamweight throne remains unoccupied.

Where does Linker go from here? Let’s have a look at some of his options.

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#3. John Lineker focuses on recovery

If there’s anyone who deserves some much-needed rest and recuperation, it’s certainly John Lineker. Andrade, after all, gave him all he can handle for two-and-a-half rounds of non-stop MMA action. The 32-year-old has the battle scars to show for it.

John Lineker left the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur battered and bruised, and went straight to the hospital for treatment.

His grotesque post-fight photos don’t even do it justice.

Both of Lineker’s eyes were nearly shut from the extreme swelling and he may have even suffered a possible broken orbital bone. A severe injury like that takes months to heal and he may be on the mend for quite some time if that’s the case.

Plus, Lineker is no longer the spring chicken he once was and is already getting up there in age. For now, it would be wise for the Brazilian to focus on his recovery and getting back to a hundred percent before thinking about his next fight.

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#2. Face the loser of Bibiano Fernandes vs. Stephen Loman

After rehabilitating from his injuries, a world title eliminator match against someone from the top five is the next best thing for John Lineker.

Good thing it won’t be long until another possible contender emerges.

No. 1-ranked Bibiano Fernandes and No.4-ranked Stephen Loman will be locking horns at ONE on Prime Video 4: Abbasov vs. Lee on November 19.

Safe to say, the winner of that match will likely be one step closer to the now-vacant bantamweight world title. Plus, it’s highly unlikely that the promotion will reward Lineker with the winner after figuring in yet another fiasco on the scales.

The loser, on the other hand, won’t fall off entirely and could duke it out with Lineker to see who’s next in line. This fight makes the most sense for both parties involved.

Lineker, of course, is already quite familiar with his countryman Fernandes. The American Top Team product unseated the long-time 145-pound king at ONE: Lights Out this past March.

'The Flash' even managed to test Lineker’s granite chin when he dropped him in the first round with a massive left hook. John Lineker weathered that storm and proceeded to knock out the former world champion in devastating fashion in the ensuing round.

Loman, on the other hand, was supposed to make his ONE debut against Lineker last year. That fight was scrapped after the Filipino tested positive for COVID-19.

Can you imagine a fistfight between these two lethal strikers? That would be an absolute treat for ONE fans.

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#1. An immediate rematch vs. Andrade

The way his fight with Andrade ended definitely left a sour taste in John Lineker’s mouth. He would have wanted to go out on his own terms and being unable to continue due to a low blow wasn’t exactly part of the plan.

Sure, ‘Wonder Boy’ was winning that third round and was close to finishing Lineker before that inadvertent knee below the belt.

However, ‘Hands of Stone’ also had his moments, particularly when he rocked Andrade several times on the feet in the second frame.

While it was unusual to see the trigger-happy Brazilian shoot for takedowns, Lineker was also having success in the grappling department and had connected on some damaging ground and pound.

It’s not like he was completely outclassed by the challenger. But for a rematch to materialize, the stars must align.

It remains unclear how long John Lineker will be on the shelf due to his injuries, and Andrade might have to take another fight in the meantime just to stay active. Of course, that’s a risky ordeal for the second-ranked contender.

After getting a taste of each other’s best shots, both Lineker and Andrade are due for adjustments in their bid to prove who the superior fighter really is.

One thing’s certain. The saga between the two is far from over and a rematch seems inevitable at this point.