The highly anticipated main event showdown between John “Hands of Stone” Lineker (35-9) and Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade (8-2) at ONE on Prime Video 3 was a banger for as long as it lasted.
But to the disappointment of fans inside the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and those watching on Prime Video around the globe, the fight ended with a whimper.
After two-and-a-half rounds of furious action, Andrade landed a knee that was inadvertently low, shattering Lineker’s groin protector into pieces. After several agonizing minutes, “Hands of Stone” was unable to continue and the bout was declared a no contest.
And because Lineker missed weight for this fight, he was stripped of his belt and the ONE bantamweight world title now sits vacant.
Let’s dive into three reasons why we need to see an immediate rematch between these two Brazilian knockout artists.
1. We need a definitive ending
Obviously, a no contest is less than ideal for all parties involved. Andrade, seemingly on the cusp of securing the finish and ONE bantamweight world championship, is now back to contender status and may need to wait months before he gets another crack at the belt.
Lineker, the former titleholder, is also stuck in no man’s land and is clearly unhappy to go out the way he did.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the fans were robbed of a concrete end to this rivalry.
Like hearing the first few notes of your favorite song but nothing more, we need a conclusion to determine the best bantamweight in ONE Championship, and the only way to get that is by an immediate rematch.
2. It was fun while it lasted
“Hands of Stone” and “Wonder Boy” shared the ONE circle for 12 blistering minutes, leaving fans clamoring for more.
The 25-year-old Andrade found plenty of success through the first two rounds, wobbling the former champion with punishing shots in the opening stanza and continuing to batter his foe through the next round and a half.
Lineker wasn’t without his own moments, though. The brawler capitalized on Andrade’s aggression to secure takedowns, scoring some heavy ground-and-pound in addition to his trademark looping hooks on the feet.
Moreover, the unintentional low blow came just seconds after “Wonder Boy” seemed to be on the cusp of securing the finish.
Would Lineker – who has never been knocked out – have been able to survive and mount a comeback? We’ll never know, and that’s precisely why a rematch is in order.
3. The rivalry is stronger than ever
In the lead-up to their battle at ONE on Prime Video 3, Andrade didn’t hesitate to build some bad blood, calling Lineker a “chicken” for the better part of a year. Now, after this unsatisfactory ending, “Wonder Boy” isn’t easing up on the trash talk.
After the fight, Andrade accused his rival of taking “the easy way out,” and that “everybody knows that I am the champion.”
While Lineker is rarely one to engage in a war of words, rest assured that he doesn’t take kindly to his fellow Brazilian’s attack.
With that in mind, ONE Championship should strike while the iron is hot. This rivalry is still at a fever pitch, so it would be wise to book a rematch as soon as both bantamweights are ready to return to action.
