Black Belt Team 
ONE on Prime Video 3 did not go as planned for John Lineker. ONE Championship’s former bantamweight king saw his crown get vacated after failing to make weight, and then he was hit with an accidental low blow that left him unable to continue.
For Lineker, missing the weight factored into how he entered the bout itself. “Hands of Stone” was adamant that it affected his mental state and played a role in how the match played out.
“It sure messed me up. Not physically, but psychologically. It shook me up a little. I also couldn’t impose my game. And when I was managing to find myself in the fight, he had already hurt my eye with a right hand, and that got in my way a lot. But what happened on the scale shook me a lot,” said Lineker.
Although there was mental anguish from losing the title he worked so hard to capture, nothing could have prepared him for the low blow he received from Andrade. The Brazilian was never able to recover in time to continue, and days after the match, he still feels the effects of the misplaced strike.
“The pain was unbearable. I thought it would never stop hurting. In addition to the pain, I couldn’t breathe properly. I was quite scared of the pain. My cup broke. It wasn’t just the impact. The blow went through the cup. It took all my strength and my momentum. I already did some tests and, thank God, it was nothing serious. I’m still feeling a little pain. I was even afraid to go to the bathroom afterward. But, according to the doctors’ assessment, everything is fine with me,” said the former ONE Bantamweight World Champion.
Lineker is still giving Andrade praise. He discussed how Andrade’s kicks and knees played a factor in his inability to get into a rhythm and how his punch affected his vision before he could really gain momentum. There were no other expectations than a competitive outing against one of the sport’s fastest risers.
With a disappointing result, “Hands of Stone” is expecting a rematch in the near future. He feels that fans were enthralled by the battle they saw before the foul put a halt to the action and that their unfinished business needs to be settled so the division can have its rightful king.
“I believe there will be a second fight. The audience wants to see that fight again. It was a very exciting fight, a war, and the audience likes that style of fighting. It was a very busy fight. I want to face him again soon, but first, I need to recover. My face is a little crumpled now (laughs). But let’s see a date to have this new fight against him,” said Lineker.
“I really want to get this belt back. I didn’t lose the title to an opponent, but to the scales. This belt is actually mine. I remain the champion. I can’t wait to fight for the belt again.”
The Shocking End To John Lineker vs. Fabricio Andrade 😱
The unfortunate end to the main event showdown between John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade at ONE on Prime Video 3!#ONEonPrimeVideo3Subscribe and turn on notif…
Mixed martial arts, One fc, One championship
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