3 Keys To Victory For John Lineker

Following the animosity that imploded in their first encounter last October, former ONE Bantamweight World Champion John “Hands of Stone” Lineker and #1-ranked Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade’s rematch is expected to exceed its predecessor.

The brutal Brazilians will meet for the second time on Saturday, 25 February, in the main event of ONE Fight Night 7 live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Last time around, the bout ended prematurely following an accidental strike to Lineker’s groin – a moment that many felt stopped Andrade’s surging momentum in its tracks. In the coming rematch, Lineker will look to remind fans why he is one of the hardest hitters MMA has ever seen.

With that said, let’s look at three key methods Lineker should follow in order to wear the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Championship.

Fight Inside The Pocket

The style of fighting that Lineker brings to competition is what makes him a must-see scrapper.

His comfort sitting inside the pocket, throwing the kitchen sink into every strike, is the reason he has 17 knockouts to his name. What you see is what you get with the brawling Brazilian, and his approach must be all that and more against Andrade.

Andrade enjoys utilizing his teeps and front kicks to make use of his reach advantage and did just that in their first encounter. However, Lineker managed to hurt “Wonder Boy” last October with his lightning-fast overhand strikes. Lineker must again keep the distance closed to short-circuit the plans of Andrade.

If the former king can get past the long legs and straight shots of Andrade, he will improve his chances of leaving with the gold.

Utilize Wrestling Prowess

Andrade is a fast-blooming talent in the MMA world, but it is Lineker who has arguably the most well-rounded style of the two.

Having fought against the best all over the world as well as training out of American Top Team, Lineker’s wrestling prowess is nothing to be scoffed at. While he may rely on his handiwork to get the job done, “Hands of Stone” is a highly rated grappler, too.

In ONE on Prime Video 3’s main event last October, Lineker managed to score numerous takedowns on “Wonder Boy” when the firefight became too hot. With hindsight proving helpful as the second meeting nears, Lineker should remain open to draining his compatriot with his grappling attributes early, opening up opportunities to score heavily.

Stay Off The Back Foot

With a sizeable reach advantage, it is Andrade who should be able to dictate the striking battles. Keeping Lineker at bay should be his primary concern, but it should remain of the utmost importance to Lineker not to succumb to the 25-year-old’s talents.

ALSO READ | Fabricio Andrade Doubts Lineker Injury, Wants Vacant ONE World Title

Staying off the back foot, avoiding the jabs, and throwing heavy strikes should keep Andrade moving. Watching for counters from range should also be on Lineker’s mind, but the busier he keeps the #1-ranked bantamweight, the more opportunities he will have to land something big.

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