Unsurprisingly, former ONE bantamweight MMA world champion John Lineker has taken to Muay Thai like a duck to water. The Brazilian brute has scored two knockouts in as many outings, and he’s aiming for the hat-trick this weekend.
“Hands of Stone” is set to meet Thai favourite Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai at ONE Fight Night 27: Tang vs. Abdullaev on Saturday inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium, and their bantamweight Muay Thai brawl is expected to produce fireworks.
Lineker has long admired his upcoming foe, as he is a revered knockout artist like him. As such, the MMA veteran believes a highlight-reel stoppage will likely occur when they collide.
“I’ve been following Kulabdam. I’ve watched some fights, and he’s a guy who has a very versatile game, a dangerous guy. I believe it will be a test of fire for me,” Lineker opined.
“As in all my fights, I go into the ring to win by knockout. I don’t like to leave it in the hands of the judges. So it won’t be any different in this fight. I just can’t say for sure which round it will be, but I’m going to be looking for the knockout all the time.”
It would be naive of Lineker to overlook a competitor as deadly as Kulabdam, but he’s feeling confident after his back-to-back KO wins last year.
The Brazilian is constantly seeking the biggest and best challenge, and he hopes a win at ONE Fight Night 27 will earn him a meeting with arguably the most notable name in Muay Thai, Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
Lineker has made his case for a showdown with the former longtime ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion on several occasions already, and he foresees an all-out war if they get a chance to square off.
“He’s a great professional, a great fighter, but I know how to do it too. I’ve been fighting since I was 12 years old, and I’ve always gotten into the ring to beat my opponents. With Rodtang, it would be no different,” Lineker stated.
“We like to stand in the middle of the ring and exchange punches until one of us falls. It would be a great fight against him. His style is what I like to see, and it’s the style I like to put into practice when I step into the ring.”
