Fabricio Andrade Doubts Lineker Injury, Wants Vacant ONE World Title

The main event of ONE Fight Night 3 featured a combustible clash between John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade for the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

The bout on 22 October was dubbed a potential fight of the year candidate, as the brawler in Lineker and the Muay Thai striker in Andrade would mesh in unparalleled martial arts action. 

However, Andrade landed an unintentional low blow on Lineker in round three, which ultimately brought the bout to a close – and a no-contest.

Andrade, however, feels that his style was just too much for Lineker to handle. 

“The fight didn’t end as I expected,” Andrade said. “I was feeling very comfortable, very confident in the fight, and I made a mistake and hit him with a low blow. Honestly, I don’t think it was enough to make him stop the fight, but he knew [in the third round] I just dropped him with a body knee.

“He took the easy way out. He brought out a broke cup. Nobody can guarantee that it was actually from the fight because he was acting like he knew the cup was broken. Honestly, I don’t believe I broke the cup, maybe it was already broken.” 

It’s no secret that Andrade has no love for Lineker, having been vocal in branding “Hands of Stone” as a “chicken” for some time. Even in his post-fight interview, his feelings toward Lineker remained the same.

“The guy has been running from me for a long time. He comes in here, doesn’t make weight, and now he gave up on the fight like that. It’s frustrating for me. I don’t believe he wants to face me again. If he wants a rematch, he can rematch me anytime,” Andrade said. 

As round three progressed, Andrade sensed that the fight was going his way following the damage that the striking specialist had put on his fellow Brazilian. “Wonder Boy” now wants what he believes is his.

“I took no damage from this fight, but I want to be active. I want to fight as soon as possible, and I don’t think this guy wants a rematch with me. So, maybe let’s put another guy [against me] for the title, because he couldn’t even make weight, so now the title is vacated,” Andrade said.

“If he doesn’t want to fight – and I believe he don’t want to anymore, especially after I picked him apart like that – give me another guy. I just want to get my title. Everybody knows that I am the champion. I proved in this fight that me and Lineker are not on the same level.”

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