Fabricio Andrade Stops John Lineker, Claims Bantamweight World Title In ONE Fight Night 7 Thriller
Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade is finally the undisputed king of the bantamweight division.
In the main event of ONE Fight Night 7, the young Brazilian sensation defeated bitter rival John “Hands of Stone” Lineker to capture the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Title at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
The two combatants picked up right where they left off four months after their first action-packed battle ended in a no contest at ONE on Prime Video 3.
Andrade and Lineker traded heavy leather throughout a competitive opening stanza, and both men seemed happy to engage in a high-paced brawl.
In fact, “Wonder Boy” had the former ONE Bantamweight World Champion in trouble toward the end of the round, but his compatriot was arguably saved by the bell.
The war raged on in the second and third frames as each MMA fighter displayed their beautiful striking arsenals – Lineker punished his foe with leg kicks and counter right hands, while Andrade consistently found a home for his piston-like straight punches.
As the bout headed into the championship rounds, both Brazilians wore their fair share of damage. But in the final minute of the fourth, the 25-year-old Andrade found his rhythm again and pieced up his battered foe with crisp punches.
That onslaught of offense would seal the deal for “Wonder Boy,” as the former bantamweight king was unable to continue to the fifth after suffering a nasty cut above his right eye.
With the fourth-round TKO victory, Andrade moved his record to 9-2 (1 NC) and, more importantly, claimed the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Championship.
The Brazilian was emotional following the contest, but he told Mitch Chilson in his post-fight interview that he would welcome #3-ranked contender Stephen Loman as his first challenger.
Should that fight happen, it would surely produce fireworks.